My name is Octavian
by Fate's Second Apprentice
Summary: Octavian's story. Reveals many things about his character; why does he try and kill Gwen, why does Percy recognize him and not Annabeth? and more about Reyna's and his relationship, his family and why people like him. This story starts at the beginning of Son of Neptune and goes past Mark of Athena.
1. Graecus

**Welcome, I'm Fate's Second Apprentice (the title Fate's Apprentice has previously been taken) this is not my first account and therefore not my first fanfiction (I know, thank the gods for that, huh?). This is a fanfiction about Octavian currently I plan to write in third person his POV, but the POV may change if its suits the story. Be warned there will be swear words and possibly **_**hints**_** of erotic things. Other than that enjoy the story!**

**Only kids right a disclaimer….ha!**

**Octavian's Slightly Biased Diary of Events**

**Chapter 1: Graecus**

Sometimes things just happen. Sometimes the gods will curse you and then laugh. Sometimes Octavian meets some people that suffer from what he considered the 'Jason complex' and it has horrible consequences. It was that morning that he felt the horrible knowing he'd grown used about a person who was coming that suffered from the cruel disease. Perhaps Jason was back. Octavian shook his head; he refused to believe_ that_ was ever going to happen.

Octavian opened his cupboard; all his clothes looked pretty much the same so he never had to consider what to wear in the morning; Jeans and a shirt today it was blue, tomorrow he decided he'd wear red. Perfect planning. He sighed as the feeling he'd woke up with intensified, it was definitely happening today, he needed to get to the temple before it happened. He would not let this person enter as a friend to New Rome. He left his house before anyone else was up, with his bag, three or so new sacrificial toys, his knife, and breakfast.

He walked over to the family temple – no need to travel all the way to Temple Hill - appeasing whatever hunger the night had given him with a slice of bread and a few pieces of fruit. The family temples were crowded and a bit of garden gone badly but it was a nice place have breakfast anyway. Octavian pulled out one of the toys, this one was special it was a My Little Pony Rarity pony which he had borrowed from his cousin Little Julia. It seemed a waste to have the thing spend endless hours as a target when Octavian could just end its life quickly and with purpose.

Rarity's guts spilled on the floor and Octavian frowned. Sighing he sat down and pondered the remains. Most of it meant nothing, but the rest…the rest made no sense but it meant something, _"The Greek has arrived," _Octavian closed his eyes and tried to think about what it meant, all he could think was the word, _graecus. _Surely a _Greek _wasn't coming to camp; he eyed his eyes with a smile. If a _graecus _was really coming then Reyna must be told.

He didn't rush to the legions camp. There was no need, besides he thought it best to revitalise the hatred of the Greeks with in the legions population, most of whom were spending the hour before daily muster doing nothing. "Terrible omens my friends," He said to a group of his friends sounding bored. They were all his age and most of the held rank; naturally none of them were centurions. He'd wait before he addressed the others. They all looked a bit shocked at the sudden change of subject (Octavian could guess what had been the topic before). "We have a _graecus _coming."

Octavian watched the reactions carefully; understandably the legacies were a bit more agitated. "Like a Greek? Or like a Greek _demi-god?" _Said a brown hair girl called Milla, she was a legacy and a captain of eight, second cohort. "Why does it matter? It's a demi-god…" A boy from the third began before realising that there were more demi-gods in the group then legacies. "It's bound to be bad news." The boy said with a cough.

"Oh, guys, I watched this video on Youtube when this Korean teacher was trying to teach her class how to say Coke and she was like 'Can I have some…cock!'" A demi-god girl who was a child of Somnia, she was never one to follow a conversation. "How much for some cock!" And with that the entire group dove head first into the lovely plan of sex jokes. Until someone mention the child of Pluto. "Death the kid is home." A girl named Neria told him in a low voice. Octavian looked at her and nodded, "Where?"

"Pluto's shrine," She said looking at him hand.

"Thanks." He said passing a silver _sestertius _to her and stood leaving.

Octavian went straight to Reyna, making a note to go talk to the kid before the boy vanished again. "_Salve, _Reyna." She turned around her face was tired. "How are you?" She sighed.

"Fine, do you want the first to be defending or attacking tonight?" She said knowing the answer.

"Oh I think we'll try defending this time, not much use to learn how to attack if we aren't going to invade anywhere anytime soon." Octavian said. Then something interesting happened at the borders. It sounded like an explosion but that was impossible. They both looked over to see the highway entrance collapsing, with four people running out of it in a frenzy, well one of them wasn't running they were being carried and Octavian's mind automatically scorned the actions, the person carrying the other person would be slowed causing both of them to be hurt and therefore eliminating two people from the fray instead of just the one.

Octavian saw Reyna move forward and he began to follow but she turned around and shook her head. "No, you stay here, it's probably nothing." Octavian's jaw clenched but he nodded. "Of course Reyna. You clearly don't need my help," He walked away before she could respond and when he was sure she wouldn't be looking at him glanced back to see her face, it was priceless. He honestly didn't mind not seeing anything, he had a feeling he knew what was happening down there and if that was the case the person causing all that trouble shouldn't be admitted into camp. The person wouldn't be able to parade around flaunting his Jason complex.

Octavian walked through along the _Via Principalis _ordering those not already running for the border to stay at their posts. They didn't need the entire army at the door; it would just cause confusion and leave the camp undefended, unable to reinforce the other lines efficiently. Then satisfied he walked started walking back to the city only to glance over at Temple Hill and figure he could try to find out the outcome of whatever Reyna decided to do with the Jason complex kid, if it happened to be them which wasn't at all certain, because after all Reyna had a thing for people like Jason.

He changed his direction. Then he turned around at a sudden _woosh! _And witnessed a huge tower of water rise out of the Little Tiber, Octavian's eyes widened in surprise, _What was that? _It certainly wasn't something one saw every day that was for sure. He was tempted to go back to camp but dismissed it. He'd probably have a better understanding from Temple Hill anyway.

There were a few people at the border of Temple Hill straining their heads to catch a glimpse of what was happening. "It's all dealt with, nothing to worry about!" He told them they turned looking relieved. He climbed the steps and sat down when he got to the top, the water tower thing had since disappeared and there was silence in the camp, silence never meant anything good when it came to children. Octavian pulled out a stuffed bear and looked down at it, he ran his hands over its neck, the stuffing inside was weak and the teddy bear – if it were alive – would certainly be dead.

He found the perfect place, and stood suddenly feeling very childish he hurried over to the statue of Zeus. He bowed at the god and pulled on the white toga that was always in the temple. Then he returned to face the god and began to recite in Latin, here power surged through the air like a great bolt of lightning – fitting as always – he held up the giraffe and made a delicate slice into it gut, at the seam just under the front right leg. The white stuffing fell out onto the marble floor and he smiled in satisfaction, caught up possibly a bit too much in the process of killing - no, not killing, it was never alive- the bear.

The sky had darkened and he could see the certain ways that the almost glowing body of the god reflected upon the remains. _Mortem…filius…Nova Roma…inlaqueaverunt…Harpyia…libros…_ he ran his hand over the lines on his forearm. It was a dark prophecy if he'd read it right…wait of course he'd read it right! He was Octavian legacy of Apollo; he didn't get these things wrong. He had a feeling that the disturbance at the river was connected to the dark words; _death, child, trapped, harpy, books _and then possibly the most disturbing of all, _New Rome. _He was shocked out of his thoughts when two people came up the steps into the temple and said rather obnoxiously (because was obvious what he was doing) "What's he doing?"

Octavian turned around, the shapes of the prophecy still playing across his vision. Octavian knew one of the two people but the other one…well he looked odd with curly black hair and green eyes. He smelt that was for sure and his clothes weren't exactly new, he looked like he'd just walked out of a hippy camp, he even looked like he had a hangover and he been taking a bit more than a little bit of the 'good stuff'. Next to the boy was a girl named Hazel, Octavian knew his girl very well all thanks to his little birds…and a few toys. Hazel wasn't really the picture of _Romanii _but Octavian liked her, she stuck him as a useful girl. "Percy," Hazel said, "this is Octavian."

"The _graecus!" _He announced, knowing as he said it he was right, this boy even _looked _Greek. He looked over the boy's face, seeing the arrogance in his eyes. "How interesting," He said, as the boy met his gaze. The boy named Percy suddenly looked nervous and glanced down at the remains of the teddy bear in his hands.

"Uh, hi," Percy said. "Are you killing small animals?" Octavian liked this kid, if only for the thought that he might be using _real _animals for his auguries, which would have been great. Octavian looked down at the toy in his hand, it didn't even look like a bear anymore, he laughed. "No, no. Once a upon a time, yes. We used to read the will of the gods by examing animal guts – chickens, goats, the sort of thing. Nowaday, we use these."

He tossed the teddy bear at the new kid who caught it with ease. Percy's eyes went over the toy, then over to where the left overs were brushed away for the tip every week. All the boy could say was, "Seriously?" Octavian smiled and shrugged, he had thought it was pretty cool once. He stepped of the dais and noticed that Percy looked even more nervous now that Octavian was closer. Not meaning to state the obvious but wondering if he could befriend this kid Ocatavian said, "You seem nervous."

"You remind me of someone. I can't remember who." Octavian suppressed a frown and looked at the boy curiously. "Possibly my namesake, Octavian – Augustus Caesar. Everyone says I bear a remarkable resemblance." Every meant his mother actually, she was after all the one who had named him. Percy frowned and shook his head but instead of explaining further Percy switched topic.

"Why did you call me 'the Greek'?"

"I saw it in the auguries." Octavian said waving his knife hand at the pile of stuffed toys to the side of the statue of Jupiter. "The message said: _The Greek has arrived. _Or possibly: _the goose has cried. _I'm thinking the first interpretation is correct." The only reason he's probably had even read that was being he'd just woken up that morning and he had been tired. "You seek to join the legion?"

Hazel stepped forward slightly. "Percy has just arrived back from the Wolf House, he while Frank and I were on guard duty; he was being chased by gorgons. It soon became clear that they weren't going to die. With Percy was an old woman she and them…well I thought they were gods, which was pretty close since…well anyway I ordered a fall back and sent Percy and Frank ahead. I collapsed the tunnel." He eyes glanced over the marble floor, Octavian pretended not to notice. "After that he had to fight the gorgons at the river, he created a huge hand out of the water and drowned them; their dust remains were slip apart before they could reform.

Then on the other side of the river while the legionaries were trying to take stock of the situation, the old lady began to glow." Octavian raised his eyes; that wasn't something he expected. "She turned out to be Juno."

"Juno. We called her Juno Moneta. Juno the Warner. She appears in times of crisis, to counsel Rome about great threats." He looked at Percy with renewed interest, a Greek, a child of Neptune coming to camp with _Juno Moneta _that was a bad omen, he wouldn't want to be this kid right now, especially not in New Rome.

"I hear the Feast of Fortuna is this week," Percy said suddenly after the rest of Hazel's story. "The gorgons warned there'd be an invasion on that day. Did you see that in your stuffing?"

Octavian heard the challenge in his voice and sighed, that was it he knew it was coming, people like him could help but try to prove themselves better than everyone else.

"Sadly, no. The will of the gods is hard to discern. And these days, my vision is even darker." Octavian admitted sadly, it wasn't a good thing to know that while bad things were happening your powers were failing you.

"Don't you have…I don't know…an oracle of something?" Percy asked.

"An oracle!" Octavian smiled at the prospect, to even be able to talk to an oracle would be a dream come true. But it was just a dream, oracles that died with the Greek Empire. "What a cute idea. No I'm afraid we're fresh out of oracles. Now, if we'd go questing for the Sibylline Books, like I recommended–"

"The Siba- what?" Percy asked honest confusion on his face, figured he wouldn't know what they were, kid spurting stuff about oracles.

"Book of prophecy," Hazel explained, then her eyes turned to him, venom in her gaze, "which Octavian is _obsessed_ with. Romans used to consult them when disasters happened. Most people believe they burned up when Rome fell."

"_Some _people believe that." Octavian corrected. "Unfortunately our present leadership won't authorise a quest to look for them–"

"Because Reyna isn't stupid," Hazel cut in, irriated Octavian continued as if she hadn't.

"– so we have only a few remaining scraps from the books. A few mysterious predictions like these." He nodded to the incriptions on the floor. Percy stared at the words, a look of acceptance on his face. Octavian knew he couldn't read them; after all he was a _graecus. _Then he stopped suddenly and bit back a choke.

"That one. _Seven half bloods shall answer the call. To storm or fire the world must fall –"_

"Yes, yes. _An oath to keep with a final breathe, and foes bear arms to the Doors of Death." _Octavian said flicked his hand dismissively.

"I - I know that one." He looked like his dead mother had just walked in and casually said 'hi'. "That's _important."_ He said seriously, his body trembling. Octavian arched an eyebrow. "Of course it's important. We call it the Prophecy of Seven, but it's several thousand years old. We don't know what it means. Every time some ones tries to interpret it… well, Hazel can tell you. Bad things happen." Hazel glared at him, Octavian looked back at her with a smug smile, you didn't challenge him without repercussions.

"Just read the augury for Percy. Can he join the legion or not?" Octavian looked over Percy, looking past the layer of dirt and old clothes. He could see strong muscles and intelligence in the boy's eyes. He was clearly close to Hazel, though according to the story they had met just over an hour ago. Octavian's eyes came down onto a small head sticking out of Percy's bag. "The is a beautiful specimen. May I?" Percy just looked at him and Octavian took that as a yes he snatched the panda pillow that looked like it had seen better days from the bag.

Octavian turned back to the altar and raised his knife. "Hey!" Percy gasped. But Octavian had already started the ritual. His knife slashed right over its stomach, he wasn't even going to try and read the auguries, this boy had been giving him a bad feeling since this morning and Octavian wasn't going to let him join the legion. Percy could go live with the fauns and the other people who didn't make it into the legion, or worse didn't want to join the legion.

He muttered some words then covered up his surprise with a cough-laugh. Staring at him right in the face was the symbols for _He must join. _Octavian wasn't one to go against any god, especially when they were talking to him so directly, so obviously. He turned to Percy with a smile and clapped his hands together. "Good news! Percy may join the legion. We'll assign him a cohort at evening muster. Tell Reyna that I approve."

Hazel relaxed. "Uh…great. Come on, Percy." She turned to leave, her hand going to Percy's arm to leed him away. Her haste to leave reminded him. "Oh, and Hazel. I'm happy to welcome Percy into the legion. But when the election for praetor comes up, I hope you'll remember –"

"Jason _isn't_ dead," Hazel snapped. "You're the augur. You're supposed to be looking for him!"

"Oh, I am!" Octavian pointed at the pile of stuffed animals, and he had been, and boy he knew it, his family weren't exactly the best people when it came to forgiving people who were late to _cena. _"I consult the gods every day! Alas, after eight mouths, I've found nothing. Of course, I'm still looking. But if Jason doesn't return by the Feast of Fortuna we must act. We can't have a power vacuum any longer. I hope you'll support me for praetor. It would mean so much to me."

Hazel's fists tightened and Octavian bit the inside of his lip, he shouldn't have said that, but the expression on Hazel's face whenever she got angry was just so funny. "Me. Support. You?" Octavian sighed and walked over to the small bench where he had put his stuff. He pulled off his toga, setting it down and his knife. He looked over the pile of teddy bears and felt the words form in his mouth.

"After all, I might be able to help." He told her turning back to them. "It would be a shame if those awful rumours about kept circulating…or, gods forbid, they turned out to be true" Octavian notice Percy's arm move, his muscles tightened. Hazel took a deep breath, despite her white knuckles Octavian could see she was on the edge about to burst into tears. "I'll think about it." That was the best he could hope for.

"Excellent," Octavian said, rubbing his hands together. "By the way, your brother is here." Hazel stiffened, snapping out of her depression.

"My brother? Why?" Octavian shrugged. "Why does your brother do _anything? _He's waiting for you at your father's shrine Just…ah, don't invite him to stay too long. He has a disturbing effect on the other. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to keep searching for our poor lost fried, Jason. Nice to meet you Percy." Then taking the hint Hazel stormed out of the temple – another brilliant metaphor considering – and Percy soon followed.

Octavian sighed and picked up his bag. Today was going to be a long day.

**Please review thank you. **


	2. Daily Muster

**Octavian's Slightly Biased Diary of Events**

**Chapter 2: Daily muster**

Octavian pulled out his phone and checked the time, ten minutes to ten minutes to daily muster – which everyone knew what the real time you should arrive to daily muster. He shoved the phone back into his bag and left the temple making a note to come back and look for Jason again. As he walked over to the first cohorts barracks he pondered what Hazel had said, if she was right than monsters were reforming even faster than before, he wondered if that included demi-gods, and possibly humans as well.

He'd have to investigate. "Octavian!" Octavian looked up in surprise as a distressed looking girl came bursting through the gates. "Octavian it's terrible!" She gasped stopping in front of him and a cloud of dust. Octavian closed his eyes and braced himself. "Gwendolyn what's her name had the nerve to tell me that she thought I needed to practice my swordsmanship. When she goes parading around like she's a bloody goddess and doesn't even need to practice hers. _She's a bloody hypocrite!" _the girl finished in Latin.

Octavian raised an eyebrow. "But, Victoria, you do need to practice." Victoria's eyes snapped to his, bright blue she had uncontrolled short black hair and tanned skin. The only hint that they were siblings was the fact that she turned to him whenever _anything _went wrong, and the fact that he'd made her a centurion even when she was anything but centurion material. "_Who cares? That's not the point!*" _

"_What do you want me to do about it? Go tell Reyna_." Victoria glared at him. "I don't want you to do anything. Just tell me I'm right and if Reyna asks anything back me up." Octavian rolled his eyes and tapped her shoulder. "Right, will do," He moved on but then she caught his hand, her expression had changed. In a low voice she whispered, "_Can you get Hadrian to hurt Gwen for me?"_

Octavian looked over his sister, biting the inside of his lip. "Fine, but you owe me." She nodded and let go, whistling as she left. Octavian shook his head; Victoria got insulted by the smallest things. An idea began forming in his head, but not right now, he'll think about it later. At the barracks he had a private room like all centurions at the end of one of the dorms. Inside he kept his uniform because what was the point in carrying it back and forth every day, though he knew a few people did.

When he left everyone was filing out. His gaze went over each of them checking their uniforms, everyone was perfect…except for one. He stared at the _probatio_ Frank Zhang as he waved good bye to the new boy. Percy hurried away, to the Fifths barracks a funny looking sword in his hand. Zhang was the problem however he was running over to the principia with the worst uniform Octavian had seen in a long time. Did he know that he looked like an idiot? Did he not understand that one person with incurrent uniform could deface the _entire _legion? This would not happen under his supervision. "_Probatio _Zhang, where are you going?"

Zhang took a double take. His mouth gaped. He started fumbling for an answer to a question Octavian was sure he didn't even understand why he was being asked it. "I will repeat, probatio Zhang, where are you going?" He seemed to understand that his answer would not be satisfactory but instead of saying something else, because saying anything other than daily muster would also land him a similar punishment, he looked at the ground and mumbled, "Going to daily muster,"

"I am going to daily muster, _sir,"_ Zhang nodded. "Yes...sir."

"Now, probatio Zhang, why are you going to daily muster in clothes such as those?" He looked up in surprise and stared at Octavian not really comprehending. "Mr Zhang, if you are about to tell me that this is what you call your uniform then I will be required to double your punishment." Octavian already had a punishment in mind; he could kill three birds with one stone, so really Zhang was going to receive it no matter what he said at this point.

"I'm sorry, sir. What do you want me to do?"

"You'll have care for Reyna's pets for the next two weeks." He watched Zhang's face fall and smiled at the lad. "But you know, I do believe you're sorry, so if you would like I can change it to one week." He paused and pointed at the SPQR on his amour. "A secret between comrades," Zhang frowned at this but Octavian was already leaving, he looked over his shoulder for a second. "Remember to were the correct uniform next time."

Then he turned around he left Zhang to go about this day. Now to find Christian and tell him that he now had a lot more free time. Octavian smiled at the boy's face and said, "And next week when the voting comes around, you'll think of me right?" Christian nodded. "Yeah, sure, I was going to vote for you anyway." Octavian nodded back and moved away. He was on a roll today.

"Reyna, have you heard of my decision?" Reyna glanced at him and shook her head. "No, what decision?" Octavian raised an eyebrow. "So, Hazel lied about the fact that you were thinking about letting him into the legion?" Reyna blinked a bit and then shook her hand.

"Actually I'd completely forgotten about that. So I'm assuming the auguries were not in his favour."

"Oh no! Reyna, Reyna, of course he's in. Nothing wrong with the guy. Maybe he needs to be directed to a bath and a new set of clothes but other than that." Reyna scowled and nodded. "Got it," Then she gestured for a boy named Vespasian to blow the horn. Octavian walked over to his cohort. They stood in lines. Victoria had the folder, marking down names. In the front was Hadrian, Octavian's younger brother, though on that point many people didn't believe him. Hadrian had the same dark hair and tanned skin as Victoria, except he had brown eyes. He looked just like their father, tall and muscular; he was a nice guy most of the time.

As everyone lined up Hazel and her brother made a rather grand entrance running into the street down to her cohort. Octavian smiled at her though it looked more like a smirk. Victoria finished the role. Hazel ran passed Reyna who had mounted her horse, Scipio and was moving around with less grace than his mother had on a horse – let's just say she wasn't the most graceful rider. What she said next made up for it though. "Hazel Levesque, so glad you could join us." A few people from the First and Second, including Victoria, sniggered. Octavian silenced her with a look, the rest knew to follow. Death Junior walked over to where Percy was standing, he'd left his odd sword back at the barracks, Octavian approved.

Percy had been to the baths and he been given a change of clothes, compared to his friend he was certainly dressed well. _At least he can do that…_Octavian thought. The Lares decided to arrive at that point flicking around, Octavian waited as they sorted themselves out, sending Hadrian over to where one of them had decided it would be a good idea to stand half way inside Rebecca Hart.

When it was all done Octavian shouted, "Colours!" The standard bearers stepped forward, they each held up the cohorts emblems, the first's was definitely the best. Octavian watched as Jacob held up the legion's eagle with a hint of satisfaction. That had been a great plan once upon a time. He felt the normal ripple of embarrassment in the legion. Reyna stopped prancing around, perhaps she realised she looked stupid, no it was too good to be true.

"Romans!" She called, "You've probably heard of the incursion today. Two gorgans were swept into the river by this newcomer, Percy Jackson. Juno herself guilded him here, and proclaimed him a son of Neptune." He watched his cohort turn to look at the boy, he didn't look too thrilled to have everyone looking at him, he raised his hand and said, "Hi."

"He seeks to join the legion," Reyna continued, "What do the auguries say?" Annoyed that he had to say it against, holding his hand up and announced, "I have read the entrails! The auguries are favourable." He gestured at Percy with a flop of his hand, "he is qualified to serve."

"_Ave!" _the campers shouted, there was something happening in the Fifth but Octavian ignored it. Reyna gestured for a centurion from each cohort to come forward. Octavian walked over to Percy, smiling at him briefly. This was his element. "Recruit! Do you have credentials? Letters of reference?" Percy shifted but instead of looking all sad he looked more confident.

"Letters? Um, no," Octavian scowled at the tone in his voice. He wasn't getting away with that. "No letters?" He forced the regretful tone to his voice. Then he turned to the legionaries, starting with his cohort he swept his gaze over them, deciding just how to phrase this, "Will any legionaries stand for him?" Octavian felt himself cringe when he saw Frank step forward.

"I will! He saved my life!" Octavian rolled his eyes; he fell for so badly it was embarrassing. The other cohorts started to protest. Reyna took control. Octavian let her, she can go make another enemy if she liked, "Frank Zhang, for the second time today, I remind you that you are a probation. Your godly parent hasn't even claimed you yet. You're not eligible to stand for another camper until you've earned your first stripe."

Frank looked like he might have died of embarrassment. Then – only partially surprising – Hazel stepped forward as well. "What Frank means is that Percy saved _both _our lives. I am a full member of the legion. I will stand for Percy Jackson." Frank and Hazel shared a glance and someone could have thought they'd planned to look like idiots. Reyna looked at Percy with a sorry glance, she clearly wished for someone else to have volunteered for him, she turned to Octavian. He smiled and shrugged, still suppressing laugher, idiots!

"Very well!" Reyna said. "Hazel Levesque, you may stand for the recruit. Does your cohort accept him?" Everyone other than the fifths started coughing; none of them could really believe this was actually happening, not much actually happened normally at daily muster. _Another loser for the Fifth _was the message. Frank started pounding his shield against the ground and then they all were, the lack of enthusiasm was touchable. He watched Dakota and Gwen exchange looks, _that's what you get for annoying my sister, Gwen. _

"My cohort has spoken." Dakota said, "We accept the recruit." Reyna looked at Percy with pity.

"Congratulations, Percy Jackson. You stand on probatio." She told him so the entire legion could here. "You will be given a tablet with your name and cohort. In one year's time, or as soon as you complete an act of valour, you will become a full member of the Twelfth Legion Fulminata. Serve Rome, obey the rules of the legion and defend the camp with honour. _Senatus Populusque Romanus!" _The legion echoed in response.

Reyna rode away from Percy her face grim. Scipio flapped its wings ready to leave, bored from the events. "Centurions, you and your troops have one hour for dinner. Then we will meet on the Field of Mars. The First and Second will defend. The Third, Fourth and Fifth will attack. Good fortune!" Everyone cheered and the cohorts broke up, heading to the mess hall. Octavian was dragged away quickly and he didn't get a chance to go and talk to Percy again. He had a feeling it wouldn't be a year until that one was a full member of the legion.

*_the words written like this when they are taking English is all in Latin_

**Please review thank you. **


	3. A Horrible Turn of Events

**Octavian's Slightly Biased Diary of Events**

**Chapter 3: A Horrible Turn of Events**

"Victoria put that away, this is serious." She looked up not convinced. "What's serious about food?" Octavian wasn't even going to go there with her. "I mean, we're discussing the Feast of Fortuna and as a centurion you have to at least look like you care." Her expression was easy to read, _but I don't care. _"Look just put the phone away, okay? You wanted to be a centurion."

"That's only because mother and father were…oh great he's here." Octavian looked up to see Pluto boy and Dakota approaching, Dakota was urging a faun to go away while drinking deeply into his goblet of Koolaid. Next to them was an overconfident Lar named Vitellius. Octavian watched them approach with a sneer, what did they possibly want now? Then Nico (child of Pluto) decided to sit down into an empty spot just across from him. He sat awkwardly in the chair like he didn't want to relax but he didn't want to appear 'unroman' either. Octavian smiled at his predicament Dakota said a fleeting bye and sat down at the other end of the table with Gwen. Reyna continued to speak but she was stealing glances at Pluto kid.

"We'll have to time it so that the upper senate won't be in session. What time do you except they will be finishing Octavian?" Octavian rolled his eyes, why ask him? He thought about everything his father had said about the other senators that week and guessed.

"Late morning, there aren't talking about anything important, and most of them will agree to what's being said." Reyna nodded once and turned to the kid. "Will you be attending?" Nico nodded. Reyna continued. "Then we'll start at midday, the votes will be cast the night before so they can be counted, _with out_ bias." Reyna's eyes glanced over him and Octavian blinked, _how low do you think I am? Rig the elections? Never! _He told her with a look, she turned away. He grimaced. Okay, he might have been thinking about it, but this time he _had_ to become praetor!

Later Octavian stood, Victoria followed and they walked over to where most of the first cohort were sitting. "It's time." He told them. There were a few grumbled and hasty last drinks and bites but the legionaries were standing ready in a minute, some swallowing loudly, though they were mostly the younger ones. They left the hall and Octavian saw Larry and Aelia start to round up there cohort. Octavian didn't go off to find the stragglers; if they were late or unprepared he'd punish them. He didn't doubt everyone was with the group by the time they reached the Field of Mars.

The final preparations were made as everyone was told their places, the Second took the walls and the First took the interior. Every weapon was checked and triple checked. He walked through the halls, talking to people as they passed. As all ways they were done by the time the Third, Fourth and Fifth cohort came out. They all came to the central hall for one last meeting before the game. He turned to the two cohorts. "Romans! Today we fight, and today we win. The other cohorts think they can beat us." There were mutterings through the crowd. "They think they can stroll in here and take our banners!" There were shouts in protest. "Well we're not going to let them." He paused and Aelia smiled, holding up her hand.

"Seconds, Firsts! Down there the stupid Fifths are bound to screw them up!" he nodded.

"They think that putting a boy named Percy Jackson on their team will make them win? Well are they right?" He continued.

"_No!" _Came the echoing replay. He smiled, they were ready. "Now go out there and crush them." Everyone yelled and filed out. Rushing to their positions. Octavian sat down and watched as everyone left in the room, four or so kids pulled out the mythomagic cards and figurines, Victoria hurried out yelling about burning all the Fifths. Octavian borrowed a pack and proceeded to destroy everyone…until something odd happened.

A huge explosion rippled through the fort but it didn't sound like a water cannon going off. It was too loud, too…boom! He looked up, and watched as people streamed over to the eastern wall. He stood and hurried over, _what the hell?_ He ordered the others to stay and they all stumped down back into their seats, happy not to have to do anything. Octavian was stunned to a standstill when he saw what was left of the eastern wall, the water cannon's had been destroyed and…he ran up the stairs and cringed as Hannibal the elephant charged into the main gates. The doors flew open and the Fifth charged inside. He ran down the stairs just as the centurions of the Third and Fourth called for an attack.

"Stay in formations! Everyone this is serious!" He yelled as his cohort ran from the advancing army. "Anyone that runs will be pun-" Someone rushed him, and something hard hit his head. He fell to the floor.

He woke angrier than he had been in the month, which a lot of things had happened so it was pretty impressive. He sat up glaring across the massacred fort. He wondered if this was how Lucius Paullus and Terentius Varro felt after Hannibal defeated them or perhaps when Julius Caesar was driven back from Britannia by barbaric tribes. He stood clenching his fists, forcing calm. He had to salvage this. He had to win. He would not lose. He would never lose to another cohort.

The remains of the other cohorts were rushing for the central room. Octavian realised suddenly that none of the people protecting the banners were likely to be ready to fight of three cohorts; they were probably still playing card games. He cursed loudly and attracted a few curious looks just the fallen. "Well! Get up." He yelled at them pulling on of the less injured kids and shoved a sword into his arms. "It's not over yet." He whispered to the boy loud enough for others to hear. Then he picked up his own weapons and charged down to the central room. It would not end like this.

When he got there he saw his cohort's banner on the top of Hannibal (the elephant), he scowled in anger. _What in the name of Jupiter happened? _He wanted to scream but instead he stopped. He closed his eyes pushing the anger back and thinking it through. This was the Fifths victory he could tell, with something like this on their backs they might actually think better of themselves. He couldn't let that happen. His gaze went over the crowd. Everyone was so happy, so over joyed. And there was Gwen, she'd been injured but not too badly. She was smiling leaning against her _pilum _as the rest of the Fifth passed. She looked in a daze, but that smile focused every emotion Octavian was feeling at that moment. He gripped his _pilum. _So the _graecus _thought he could come into the army and win without consequence? Did Gwen really think that so was safe here? He'd prove them wrong. He slipped in next to her. "Congratulations."

She jumped in surprise. "Octavian you scared me." He nodded, assuming a bored expression not looking her in the eye, he doubted even he could hide his frustration. A sudden thought occurred to him. What if she died tonight? "Hmm..." He said, his mind wheeling. He smiled at her. "What is this, 1 to 70...something? You'll have to work some more magic Gwendolyn, just one win will not be enough to right your name on victory tablets." Gwen's smile dropped. "Look I..."

"Gwen, what do you think of these rumors about dead coming back to life? Demi-gods unable to die?" Gwen pushed off her sword. "I'll believe anything I see, I've seen monsters return in seconds, but people returning from the dead, not yet."

"Not yet huh? I suppose your right. You can't juts go around believing everything you hear, most people don't speak the truth even when they think they are. He withdrew and caught Victoria's hateful gaze on him. He nodded at her and she turned around leaving the disaster of a battle. Octavian faced Gwen slowly. She looked at bit lost, she held up her hands and started counting. "_Unus...duo...tres." _He said as she held up a finger. He took to steps, flicked the pilum and heard the beautiful groan she made as she feel to the ground. "Shall we see if seeing is believing Miss Gwendolyn? I'd very like to see you come back from death, you hateful bitch." He muttered to himself watching, waiting. He predicted a forty percent chance that she would survive.

She fell to the ground and Octavian stepped back again, absorbing into the crowd of Seconds, he watched as people swarmed around her until a little Fourth girl screamed, "Help! Someone help!" The medics hurried over so fast Octavian couldn't get a good view, but he knew it was over.

"Make some room!" A medic yelled and people moved back. He moved forward; her clothes were covered in blood, her skin grey. He was reminded of his old pet cat when she had died. It was an interesting thought. The medics tried there utmost to heal her but quickly they understood that she was dead, no one was saving her. Octavian waited his eyes on her face. _A 40% chance…I wonder if someone's going to pull out my pilum…_

Reyna pushed passed the crowd, they moved away. Octavian saw Frank looking like someone he just killed his mother, he fell to his knees next to her. Octavian frowned in concern. 1 minute. Maybe he had been wrong, she wasn't going to come alive, maybe it was closer to twenty per cent. One of the medics looked up and shook his head. Hannibal's trunk started sniffing around her face and one of the medics pushed it away. Reyna stood taller and looked around the crowd. "There will be an investigation. Whoever did this, you have cost the legion a good officer." Octavian mentally scoffed, Gwen a good officer? That was pushing it. And he wasn't certain she was dead yet, Reyna continued unconscious of his thoughts. "Honourable death is one thing, but _this…"_ Octavian frowned at her meaning but shook his head, it didn't matter they'd never catch him; he doubted anyone would sell him out.

Octavian caught Frank looking at him, his face red with anger, Octavian blinked in surprise, did Zhang suspect him? Maybe he was smarter than he looked. At that moment Gwen gasped and Octavian noted the time, she's been dead for almost five minutes now, maybe it took longer for humans to come back. Everyone stepped back except for Zhang. Gwen's eyes opened and life breathe back into her. "Wh-what is it?" She blinked, "What's everyone staring at?" She didn't seem to notice the pilum sticking out of her.

"There's no way," One of the medic's shook their heads in disbelief, "She was dead. She _has _to be dead." Gwen tried to sit up but couldn't. She started to speak trying to make sense of it all. Octavian leaned in to hear. "There was a river, and a man asking…for a coin? I turned around and the exit door was open. So I just…I just left. I don't understand. What happened?" Octavian smiled slightly, well that was obvious.

"Gwen." Frank said. "Don't try to get up. Just close your eyes for a second, okay?"

"Why? What –"

"Just trust me." Gwen looked at him with fear but closed her eyes. Frank pulled the pilum from her body, it didn't come all the way. "Percy, Hazel – help me." One of the medics put out there hands to stop them. "Don't! You might –"

"What?" Hazel snapped. "Make it worse?" Frank took a deep breathe.

"Hold her steady. One, two, three!" They pulled the pilum out. Gwen didn't wince. The bleeding stopped quickly. Hazel bent down. "It's closing on its own. I don't know how, but-"

"I feel fine." Gwen told them. "What's everyone worried about?" She stood with Zhang and Percy's help. Frank glowered at Octavian but Octavian looked at Gwen with concern. Hazel put her hand on Gwen's shoulder. "Gwen there is no easy way to say this. You were dead. Somehow you came back."

"I…what?" Gwen stumbled. Her hand pressed against the hole in her armour as if she was just realising it was there. How did this girl ever get the rank of centurion? No wonder Victoria hated her. He glanced around to find her and noticed at the back of the crowd her look of absolute loathing. Octavian would have to deal with that; he couldn't have her trying to kill her just after she'd come back. He'll have to convince her to give it a few days. He pushed away, no longer interested in the conversation the others were having.

"See, I don't need to ask Hadrian to help my baby sister." Victoria shifted her scowl to him. "She came back!" She whispered loudly. "How do they do it?" Octavian wasn't going ask who 'they' were. "You asked for her to be taught a lesson, I think the lesson has been taught, along with a few others. Don't you?" Victoria shook her fists in anger. "I'll burn that girl; I'll burn all of them, Frank, Percy, and that stupid Hazel. All of them."

"Not today you aren't." He looked at her seriously. Her resolution faltered. "Why not?"

"Two deaths in one day? No, she's alive so they may forget about it, but if she's dying along with three others don't you think that's a bit too obvious? I give you permission to do it after the Feast of Fortuna. By then I should be _praetor._" She licked her lip and sighed. "Fine…you promise?"

"I promise, I'll have them all be trailed and punished just for you." She grinned and nodded moving away. He closed his eyes and counted to ten trying not to be too annoyed that his sister actually relished hurting others. He turned back to the central conversation just as a large voice rolled over them. "DEATH LOSES ITS HOLD. THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING!" The legionaries drew there weapons. Hannibal trumpeted nervously. Scipio reared, almost throwing Reyna off, now they would have been funny.

"I know that voice." Percy said. He didn't sound pleased. In the middle of the legion a column of fire blasted into the air. Heat washed over them and anyone soaked by water cannons were now dry. People scrambled backwards as a solider stepped out from the explosion. The soldier was ten feet tall dressed in a modern military uniform. In his hands was a huge M16 rifle. Octavian only knew that because Hadrian had once been obsessed with guns. Those days had been fun.

Unlike everyone else Zhang stepped forward, his expression was that of pain. He took a few more steps than knelt. Octavian did the same, as the rest of them sunk to the floor. He had a very bad feeling about this. "That's good." The god said. "Kneeling is good. It's been a long time since I've visited Camp Jupiter."

"You're Ares," Octavian's gaze went to Percy, his eyes widened, Percy was standing, gripping his funny looking sword – Octavian could have sworn he'd gotten rid of that thing – he was glaring at the god. Octavian stared at him, was he an idiot or just ignorant? "What do you want?" Everyone gasped at that, even Hannibal. The god bared his teeth.

"You got spunk, demi-god." He said. "Area is my Greek form. But to these followers, to the children of Rome, I am Mars – patron of the empire, divine father of Romulus and Remus,"

"We've met." Percy said, despite the clear indication that he should just shut up and kneel. "We…we had a fight…" Lord Mars scratched his chin, as if trying to recall. "I fight a lot of people. But I assure you – you've never fought me as Mars. If you had, you'd be dead. Now, kneel, as befits a child of Rome, before you try my patience." The ground around the god started to boil. Octavian silently cheered him on.

"Percy, please." Frank pleaded. Percy knelt and Octavian scowled, rude.

"Romans, lend me your ears!" Octavian looked straight at the god, who laughed. Not a good thing. "I've always wanted to say that. I come from Olympus with a message. Jupiter doesn't like us communcitating directly with morals, especially nowadays, but he has allowed this expection, as you Roamns have always been my special people. I'm only permitted to speak for a few minutes, so listen up." He pointed at Gwen.

"This one should be dead, yet she's not. The monsters you fight no longer return to Tartarus when they are slain. Some mortals who died long ago are now walking the earth again. Thanatos has been chained!" Mars announced. "The Doors of Death have been forced open and no one I policing the – at least not impartially. Gaia allows our enemies to pour forth into the world mortals. Her sons the giants are mustering armies against you – armies that you will not be able to kill. Unless Death is unleashed to return to his duties, you will be overrun. You must find Thanatos and free him form the giants. Only he can reverse the tide."

Mars looked around and seemed to notice they were all still kneeling. "Oh, you can get up now. Any questions?" Reyna rose uneasily. She approached. Octavian came over to her, as he came closer he felt the unearthly presence of the god; he recalled what his grandparents had said about gods. He had to show them complete respect. He bowed to Lord Mars. He let Reyna speak first since she officially out ranked him. "Lord Mars, we are honoured."

"_Beyond _honoured. So far beyond honoured –"

"Well?" Mars snapped cutting Octavian off. Octavian swallowed his pride.

"Well," Reyna began. "Thanatos is the god of death, the lieutenant of Pluto?" Lord Mars nodded, "Right," Reyna frowned, her head bowed. "And you're saying that he'd been captured by the giants…"

"Right," Lord Mars agreed, again.

"And therefore people will stop dying?" Octavian liked that idea, he cast Reyna respectful look but she was concentrating elsewhere. Mars answered clearly a bit annoyed, "Not all at once, but the barriers between life and death will continue to weaken. Those who know how to take advantage of this will exploit it. Monsters are already harder to dispatch. Soon they will be completely impossible to kill. Some demi-gods will also be able to find their way back from the Underworld – like your friend Centurion Shish Kebab." Octavian didn't know what a shish kebab was, but he certainly wasn't Gwen's friend.

The girl winced. "Centurion Shish Kebab?"

Lord Mars ignored her. "if left unchecked even mortals will eventually find it impossible to die. Can you imagine a world in which no one dies – _ever_?" Octavian could, at least a world where _he_ didn't die. He didn't really mind if everyone else did. "But, ah, mighty all-powerful Lord Mars, if we can't die, isn't that a good thing? If we can stay alive indefinitely –"

"Don't be foolish, boy!" Mars yelled, and Octavian cringed. "Endless slaughter with no conculsion? Carnage without any point? Enemies that rise again and again and can never be killed? Is that what you want?" Octavian considered that, the god had a point. Though he knew the bad part about killing all your enemies was that there was no one left to hate, and historically that was very bad.

"You're the god of war," Percy spoke up before Octavian could say anything. "Don't you want endless carnage?" Octavian could have killed the boy, was he trying to get them all killed? "Insolent, aren't you? Perhaps I have fought you before. I can understand why I'd want to kill you. I'm the god of Rome, child. I am the war of military might used for a righteous cause. I protect the legions. I am happy to crush my enemies underfoot, but I fight without reason. I don't want war without end. You'll discover this. You'll serve me."

"Not likely,' Percy said. Octavian actually looked at him this time. The boy actually knew what he was saying, right? Lord Mars just smiled instead of killing him. What was wrong with this god? "I order a quest!" He called. "You will go north and find Thanatos in the land beyond the gods. You will find him and thwart his plans of the giants. Beware Gaia! Beware her son, the eldest giant."

Hazel squeaked. "The land beyond the gods?"

The god stared down at her, his grip tightening on the M16. "That's right, Hazel Levesque. You know what I mean. Everyone here remembers the land where the legion lost its honour! Perhaps if the quest succeeds, and you return by the Feast of Fortuna…perhaps then your honour will be restored. If you don't succeed, there won't be any camp left to return to. Rome will be overrun, its legacy lost forever. So my advice is: don't fail." Octavian frowned at the idea; New Rome was going to be destroyed? And the only way to stop it was for a quest to the land beyond the gods to be completed in five days?

Octavian breathed in bowing lower so that the god didn't get angry at what he was about to say. After all he might not be so lucky as the new kid. "Um, Lord Mars, just one tiny thing. A quest requires a prophecy, a mystical poem to guide us! We used to get them from the Sibylline books, but now it's just up to the augur to glean the will of the gods." Lord Mars didn't look over impressed. Octavian continued, feeling very nervous. The usual words didn't form in his mind so he just spoke. "So if I could just run and get about seventy stuffed animals and possibly a knife –"

"You're the augur?" Lord Mars interrupted, again.

"Y-yes, my lord," the god pulled out a piece of paper. "Anyone got a pen?" the legionaries stared at him. Lord Mars sighed. "Two hundred Romans, and _no one's_ got a pen? Never mind!" He slung his M16 behind his back and pulled out a hand grenade. Octavian took a step back. The hand grenade then morphed into a pen and Lord Mars began to write. "There!"

He tossed the paper at Octavian who caught it. "A prophecy. You can add it to your book; engrave it on your floor, whatever." Octavian read it out loud, not quite believing what he was seeing. "this says, 'Go to Alaska. Find Thanatos and free him. Come back by sundown on June twenty-fourth or die.'"

"Yes." Mars said. "is that not clear?"

"Well, my lord…usually prophecies are _unclear. _They're wrapped in riddles. They rhyme, and…" Octavian watched as Mars causally pulled out another grenade and said, "Yes?" Octavian didn't need any more encouragement, unlike a certain someone. I spun around to the rest of the legion. "The prophecy is clear! A quest!"

"Good answer." Octavian relaxed. Mars tapped the grenade to his chin. "Now what else? There was something else…oh yes." He turned to Zhang. "C'mere, kid." Zhang stepped forward. Octavian glared at him. What was with these people? Did they not realise they were talking to a _god? _"Nice job talking the wall, kid. Who's the ref for this game?" Reyna raised her hand. "You see that play, ref?" Mars demanded. "That was _my _kid." Octavian almost spluttered. _WHAT?_

"First over the wall, won the game for the team. Unless you're blind, that was an MVP play. You're not blind, are you?" Reyna shook her head. "No, Lord Mars." Octavian would have said otherwise but that was an issue for another time. "Then make sure he gets the Mural Crown. Mars demanded. "My kid, here!" he yelled at the legion and Octavian smiled at Zhang's expression.

"Emily Zhang's son," Mars continued. "She was a good soldiers. Good woman. This kid Frank proved his stuff tonight. Happy late birthday, kid. Time you stepped up to _real _man's weapon." He tossed Frank the gun, there was a cry of fear from Zhang but in mid air the gun transformed into a spear. It had a shaft of Imperial gold and a dragon's tooth point. Octavian sighed, half-bloods always got the best gifts.

"The tips is a dragon's tooth. You haven't learned to use your mom's talent yet, have you? Well – that spear will give you some breathing room until you do. You get three charged out of it, so use it wisely. Now, my kid Frank Zhang is gonna lead the quest to free Thanatos, unless there are any objections?" If it was anyone else, Octavian would have been the first in line to dismiss the idea fourth right but as this was a god, Lord Mars in fact; he stayed silent, like everyone else.

"You can take two companions." Lord Mars continued. "Those are the rules. One of them needs to be this kid." He pointed at Percy. "He's going to learn some respect for mars on this trip or die trying." Octavian's mouth gaped; he was being honoured…for insulting the god? The world had officially lost it. "As for the second, I don't care. Pick whomever you want. Have one of your senate debates. You all are good at those." The god's image flickered. Lighting cracked across the sky.

"That's my cue. Until next time, Romans. Do not disappoint me!" The god dissapeared in a rush of flames. Reyna turned towards Frank. Her expression was part amazement, part nausea, at least he wasn't only one who thought this entire thing was ridiculous. She raised her arm in a Roman salute. "_Ave, _Frank Zhang, son of Mars." Compelled to follow Octavian raised his arm with the rest.

Octavian's plan was ruined. Zhang was the son of Mars, he was going on a quest with Percy and to top it off Octavian didn't even have the pleasure of knowing that Gwendolyn was dead. Today had been a really bad day, and not he had to face his parents. He shuddered at the thought.

Everyone cleared out of the fort. Octavian could see that none of his cohort wanted to even think about starting pack down. He walked over to Aelia and tapped her shoulder. "You cohort is good for pack down right? Good, I'll see you later." Aelia frowned but nodded as he left, after all he hadn't really given her an opinion. He was in the barracks before the rest, pulling off his armour and sitting down on the bed. He glared at the wall. He thought over what had just happened. First Percy made the Fifth win, he was sure of that, but not even Jason would have been able to pull off two gods in one day.

He leaned forward pulling at his hair. To make everything worse the Frank kid, the one he'd thought would be descended from a minor god and be easily pushed aside turned out to be a child of Mars and he was now going to lead a quest! A quest when Octavian had been calling for one since he'd become a centurion. And as if to rub it in the new kid, Percy Jackson would also be going. Two _probatios_ on the one quest, it was unheard of. He leaned back against the wall. Thinking.

Frank and Hazel were good friends he knew, so it would be likely that they would want to go together. He bit his inner lip, would Reyna allow it? Would she let some of the newest people in the legion go out on the first quest in fifty years? The bad thing was, she would, especially now that Percy was involved and Reyna had a soft stop for gung-ho, overly talented idiots. There wouldn't be a senior officer to bring back glory to another cohort, no, it would be three kids from the Fifth doing whatever the hell they wanted while New Rome burned. That must have been what the augury had meant. Death was coming to New Rome, and it would be all those children's' fault.

He considered his angle. He could be almost sure that the quest would be composed of Frank, Hazel and Percy, but to have them go Reyna would need Frank to be an _adiutor _or higher. Would she pushed aside one of the Fifth's leaders, or would she just ignore the rule. Either way it would reflect bad on her, she's either make an enemy of the Fifth cohort or the rest of the army. If one rule was ignored why not another? He stood, composing what he could say to force her hand, make her pick the worse opinion, but not tonight.

Tonight he had to confront his family, Victoria would not be happy, and that was the point that things started to burn. He pulled on a new shirt and tossed the used on in the dirty clothes basket. It was rather full after the war games.

The sun was just setting when he caught sight of the wall that surrounded his family's home. It was over a hundred years old and showed its age. He sighed and tapped the gate. It sprung open, a magical lock that only let people with permission inside. He checked the time, well, he wasn't late. Inside he walked straight to the other end of the house were the family's baths were situated. He checked to see if anyone else was using the _caldarium. _Naturally no one was, it almost scared him sometimes that he hardly ever saw his family while in his own house, the only time he ever talked to his parents were when he randomly crossed their path, at dinner, or when they wanted something. Not the greatest parent-child relationship but it worked for him.

He undressed and slid into the hot water, having no time to really relax, he started rubbing soap into his arms. Sadly the water started doing its job, he sighed, leaning back against the hard marble. He closed his eyes and put the soap to the side. When he opened them he was stunned. There it was. Sitting stoically across from him, on a cushion, Octavian's mouth twitched. "Sev…it's always Sev." He growled and swam over to where the black teddy bear sat. Somehow this thing was indestructible. Where the hell Severus had found it Octavian didn't know but ever since it had been appearing in a place just a across from him, sitting there. He tossed it in the water. It that didn't get rid of it Octavian didn't know what would. He swam back to the other end of the bath. He picked up the soap and finished bathing, wanting to leave and find his youngest brother before Severus found him.

When he got out an aura passed over him carrying a towel. He dried himself and the aura rushed away with the wet towel. He dressed again and checked the time. He almost ran to his room and pulled out his toga. His father insisted. His mother just liked to dress up. Unlike most people in New Rome he actually knew who to wear a toga properly, so it didn't fall around everywhere and make you look like a fool and for that he was thankful, but the first awkward months after he'd turned sixteen didn't seem to make it all that great.

Octavian slipped a knife into one of the folds, just in case things got violent as they generally did when his family got together. Today his mother had decided they were eating outside. The sun had set when he took a seat on one of the stone benches. Down the hill sat Severus looking very solemn as he looked over the lake. Octavian watched him. _"When did you put that creature there any way?_" He asked. Severus turned around, and cocked his head to the side. "_I'm sure __I don't know what you mean_." Replaying in the same tone.

_"How did you know I'd be able to see it. I understand putting it on my desk because it across from my bed and then on that old wooden chair because I can see it from just about anywhere in the garden, but you can only really see it staring at you if you sit right where I was. So tell me how me, how did you know?_" His brother twisted and rolled over the grass, messing up his tunic, though he didn't seem to care.

"_I don't know what you're talking about._" Octavian looked at him flatly. Severus returned to look. Octavian shook his head. "_Next you'll be blaming Victoria, you realise you're the only one who has the patience and skill to watch me long enough to know exactly where to put it? Victoria has other ways to annoy me._" Severus twirled a piece of grass around with a finger. "_Could have been Hadrian, or maybe it was Trajan's ghost, you never know_."

"Trajan isn't dead, he ran away. There is a difference."

"_Don't let Papa hear you say that. He'll murder you_." Octavian raised an eyebrow. "I'd like to see him try." Severus giggled and sat up. "_We could check, here he comes_." Octavian looked over to where his father was walking down to the table. The man had a dominating aura. He looked like a traditional Roman should with dark brown hair, brown eyes and tanned skin. While some of his past muscle mass had faded away in old age he still looked strong enough to defeat a dozen foes in combat. He was thirty-six years old.

He took a seat next to the brazier and clicked his fingers. "_Cacia,"_ The spirit ripped through the air setting alight to every candle and light in the area. She swirled the heat blazing against his father's skin, she was close enough to burn him. The man only smiled at her ferocity and pointed at the brazier in front of him. Cacia's spirit once again returned to appear as a fire and she burned with a dull heat. Victoria and Hadrian came to join them, Victoria panting and looking like she'd just run home, Hadrian calm and silent as ever.

"_Salve! How were the war games today? I hear the new boy is very good! Did you let him join the First_?" Severus called cheerfully. Octavian could see from his smile that he knew exactly how they went and that the 'new boy' was not a member of the First. His father stood. "_Ah, yes, I heard today that the First and Second cohorts were completely overwhelmed. How can that be? After all _two_ of my children are leaning them correct? When I was in the legion we never lost once, never._"

"We weren't the only ones leading Larry and Aelia controlled the Second cohort." Octavian cursed Victoria; she never knew what to say at all. Octavian began to correct her words but his father was too fast. "Are you telling me you let to _plebeians_ control their own army? We'll be ruined! Octavian, what is this about Larry and Aelia? Are you conceding already?" Octavian glared at Victoria.

"No, _pater, _Victoria said that because she had no say in the battle plans. She acted as a common solider the entire time." She bared her teeth at him, his father did not see as she was standing behind him. "I…was complacent, it will not happen again." His father became to form a reply but at that moment his mother chose to sweep into the courtyard. She had golden blonde hair and blue eyes, her skin was pale despite many years in the sun and she wore a red _stola _with dark blue _limbus _attached. She hardly looked a day over twenty-five though she was a year older than his father.

His father walked over to her and they embraced with a smile. He muttered small compliments to her in French. He took the opportunity to talk to Victoria. "Mama is going to kill you, you realise?" She scowled. "Papa thinks you're stupid."

"Better that then death I think, and besides Papa ignores you so much because you're a disappointment." She scoffed and poked out her tongue. "_Bună ziua!_ How is everyone?" His mother called ruffling Hadrian's hair; she could only do this when he was sitting as she was only four foot eight. They all sat, her question remained unanswered.

The food came soon after. It wasn't a large meal as it was too late for it to be considered a proper _cena _it was closer to _vesperna. _The food was gone quickly, Severus taking the entire bowl of sweetened grapes to himself. Octavian picked up two pieces of emmer bread and let his family fight over the rest. Victoria grabbed the grapes from Severus who was swishing them and drinking the juice before throwing away the seeds and eating the rest. "_Ei!" _he yelled and pulled it back. Everyone ignored them, his father turned to Hadrian and began questioning him about Frank Zhang.

His mother rose however when weapons were produced. "_Ambele de vos!" _they stopped and looked at her innocently. "What is it Mama?" Severus asked, a knife at Victoria's throat, a gladius poking into his stomach. "Act civilised would you? Pass your sister some, and Victoria can share some of _patina_." They looked at each other and shrugged. "Just starting to get interesting…" Victoria muttered and took a vine of grapes for herself.

Hadrian was the first to leave, walking into the house muttering something about studying. Octavian knew it wasn't going to be for school. When all the food was gone his parents ordered them all away. They sat a bench to themselves and had been wanting to talk about something for the last half an hour, something they clearly couldn't talk about with them there. Octavian left with Severus at his heels. When they were inside he turned to Severus. "So do you have any news for me?" Severus frowned.

"Sort of. You see, today I was following Levesque because I was thinking she'd open up to her friend, which she didn't, but anyway I got the impression Zhang was going to say something to her…but didn't. He had something in his armour that his hand kept passing over. I was going to follow him as well, but then…" Octavian nodded understanding.

"That's fine, no rush, are you sure Hazel has more secrets being cursed is rather big, not many people have more than that for bad luck…"

"I _know_ something is wrong with her! Trust me; she's more than just cursed. She fainted again today, that death kid start looking around and I had to go before they said anything, but I'm sure. I can see it in the way she walks!" Octavian smiled and tapped the boy's shoulder. "I believe you, don't worry."

"Is it true he's a child of Mars?" Octavian blinked at the question. "Yes." Severus looked sad, and Octavian rolled his eyes. Why did he get stuck with Severus as a younger brother, he got depressed over the strangest things…much like Victoria got angry…he mentally sighed. "It makes sense, he has the body, and just because he's a child of Mars doesn't mean he doesn't have to prove himself, he's still a member of the Fifth after all." Severus smiled at that.

"You mean the cohort that whipped your butt today? That Fifth?" Octavian mocked anger and pulled out the knife. Severus ran down the hall laughing, only to halt and the turn back. "That Jackson guy is powerful. You should watch out for him. He remains me of Jason." Octavian nodded.

"I'll be sure to take that into account."

**Please review thank you. **


	4. The Senate Meeting

**Octavian's Slightly Biased Diary of Events**

**Chapter 4: The Senate Meeting**

He woke to find the dismantled teddy bear at the end of his bed. It had lost its arm and an ear. A card sat on its leg. The words; _you win, w_ere written down in Latin. Attached to it was a charm with a tear on it. Octavian shook his head, tossing the toy into the corner. He stood and decided he'd change plans for clothes today, he pulled out a purple camp shirt and took off his white pyjama top. Then he took off his black pyjama pants with red cats all over it to replace them with jeans.

He walked to the kitchen and picked up a plate of emmer bread and pears. He dropped some honey on the bread and ate on his way to the back of the house. Outside he could see the soft rise of Temple Hill. He crewed away at the food waiting. The eagle appeared in the sky and came in quickly. He landed with a snap of its beak. The scroll in its mouth dropped out. Octavian brushed it away, picking up the scroll. The eagle snapped and flew away. Octavian watched it wondering if J. had gotten the owl mail idea from Camp Jupiter or if they had gotten it from her, after all she was a legacy of Trivia, the goddess of magic.

The words on the scroll had been written quickly without much care.

_Emergency Senate Meeting_

_All Centurions are called. Citizens; Rebecca Ryan, Madeline Blanc, Nera Lucius, Timothy Clarke, James van der Kreek, Julius Aelia, Marcus Ennia, are also requested to attend. Legionaries; Perseus Jackson, Frank Zhang are called also. _

_If others would like to come, they are invited. _

_The meeting will begin on the ninth hour. Be there. _

Poetic as always, Octavian thought scrunching up the first paper he read the smaller piece.

_Meet me beforehand. _

_I am promoting Frank Zhang to centurion rank. Gwen is leaving. _

_Be prepared. _

He finished his food and walked over to Severus's room. He knocked on the door. "Severus! You awake?" The door swung open. "Am now. What's happening? Has Victoria finally burned the house door?" He looked around, Octavian shook his head. "Do you want to go to the senate meeting today?" Severus looked into his room; it looked like a storm spirit had gone through it overnight, but his room always looked like that.

"How do you live in there?" Severus shrugged, "The spirits never put anything in the right spot."

"So you just leave everything on the floor?" Again, Severus shrugged. "I'll go…what's it about?"

"The new quest I presume." Severus nodded suddenly more excited, "So I get to meet Jackson?" Octavian shook his head, "Not yet, I'll save you for went I'm sure he hates me. When that time comes…"

"Act super cute!" Severus said picking and flower from a vase in the hall and slipping it behind his ear. "Will this make all the boys like me?" It was a reference to something, Octavian didn't pretend to understand. Severus giggled and threw the flower away. "You need to watch Death Note,"

"That show you're bribing Little Julia with? I'll pass." Severus shook his head. "Missing out. I'll go get ready. When is it?"

"Half an hour, we're going to the camp first." Severus nodded and walked back into his room. Octavian leant against the wall and look out to the lake; Severus has a good view from here. Too the right was a line of statues, a dozen or so Lares sat chatting away. Severus came out smiling. "How's Reyna?" He asked as they walked away. "Fine, I guess. Why?"

"I like Reyna, she's nice." Octavian raised an eyebrow. "And that justifies you liking her?" He nodded. "_Certo! _Reyna is awesome, and she's really funny when she rides Scipio. _Nechezat!" _Octavian shook his head, a small smile on his face. "You're ridiculous." Severus stopped and looked at him with a frown. "_Ridiculum_, stupid," Severus shook his head.

"I'm not stupid. You are." Octavian grabbed his brother's hair and shook him around. Severus suppressed a cry of pain. "Who's stupid?" Severus clawed at his hand. "You!" Rolling his eyes Octavian let go. Severus fell to the floor, rubbing his head. Octavian walked on. "Hurry up; I'm not waiting for you." Severus ran to follow and they left the house.

"Four days." He announced seriously. Octavian nodded. "Is New Rome really going to be destroyed?" He asked his expression dark. Octavian forced himself not to falter. How did Severus find these things out? "I suppose that won't be a great birthday present, huh?" Severus shook his head. "Probably not."

When the got to camp he told Severus to stay outside. He walked over to where Aelia was standing. "Did you get the message?" she turned around and nodded. "Yep. Not that I'm that keen about going, can you believe it? Frank _Zhang_ is a child of Mars, I mean…seriously?" Octavian nodded not really listening, Reyna was entering the principia. "Oh! And then he gets a quest too. How unfair is that?" Octavian muttered an agreement leaving the conversation.

He knocked on the door and she opened it. Her lips flat lined at the sight of him. "You called." He told her, she nodded, her face impassive. He looked at her. "May I come in?" She nodded again and stepped away. She took her seat next to her dogs, Octavian wondered if Frank had remembered to feed them. He sat down on one of the seats opposite her without her permission. He wasn't going to let her push him around. "So what's think about Zhang, you realise the boy is a _probatio, _right?" She nodded.

"The rules are going to be bent, has he done anything that we can consider an Act?" Octavian suppressed a sigh, so this was why she wanted to talk to him. Not because he happened to be the closest thing to a second praetor, no, she wanted to use his little birdies for herself. "Maybe." He said casually. The gold dog growled. "Hush, dog." He told it. Reyna's hand brushed over the metal. "Fine, Octavian, I'll play this game." Her voice was tried as she spoke. He wondered if she thought showing him weakness was going to spur some long lost sympathy for her. She was sorely mistaken. "What do you want?"

"Nothing, nothing you can provide at least. I would say less bias, but that – for you – is impossible. So I won't waste a wish. What I want to know is if you are going to fall in love with that stupid Jackson boy, if you are tell me now, I'll take it into account." Reyna stood in anger.

"You! Do you even understand what love is? You can't predict it! You talk as if I fall head over heels for every boy I see."

"I never said that. And Reyna, you can predict it, it's very easy. Especially with you, since you have a thing for only one type of guy." Octavian shook his head. "It seems you'll have to proceed with breaking the rules. _Tsk, tsk. _Regretful how it is," Reyna calmed down instantly, she seemed to think she knew what she was doing, she really didn't.

"Lord Mars came to us last night; he said that Frank Zhang must lead the quest, so he will. I won't go against a god's will."

"Brilliant, you seem to be the only one at camp you fells that way. Does this also apply to the wish that Percy Jackson will be on the team list as well?" Reyna nodded, sitting down. "Well, that means you have a third position, what do you suggest?"

"Frank has requested Hazel." Octavian nodded. "Of course he did, they're friends. So this is a buddies going on a holiday, not a serious mission? Nice to be informed," Reyna gritted her teeth.

"Octavian…what is your advice on this?" Octavian masked his surprise, he probably should have seen it coming but still…she'd never actually asked him for advice before. She was a stubborn pigheaded female after all. "Why should I tell you? You'll simply discard it, or ridicule it. I won't even try." She wasn't happy with that answer but it wasn't meant to please her.

"Do you want me to order you?" Octavian looked at her seriously. "Reyna, I understand that you feel that you outrank me, and out there, you do." He gestured outside, to the camp, to the city. "But in here, you don't have the right to order me to do anything." She scowled at him, her mask falling apart. She always lost these games; he never knew why she was okay playing them. Forcing calm in her voice she pointed at the door. "You'll be in charge with the minor parts of Centurion Frank's promotion, now leave, or we'll see just who has the power here."

Octavian nodded and stood. "Of course, Praetor Reyna. Anything for you," with that he left. Walking to the first cohort's barracks and pulled out a spare toga. He wrapped it around his clothes and walked out, nodding to Hadrian as his younger brother let the kids he was training have a break. They all slumped to the ground out of energy.

He decided to get Victoria and held over to the senate house. He didn't want to be late for this. Victoria had spent the night in the barracks, she did so most days and it was rather annoying but definitely helped the management of the cohort. He knocked on the female barracks and waited. Victoria's _optio_ opened the door; she was a child of Venus and looked at Octavian with a horrible expression. "Yes?"

"Bring Victoria out here. All centurions are invited to the senate meeting." The girl nodded and closed the door loudly. Octavian shook his head annoyed. That girl _tried_ to be rude. Too bad Victoria liked her. She shouldn't have held rank, then again, but merit neither should Victoria. He knew he was probably wasting a lot of kid's talents. He had to think about what he was going to do with Severus when he joined the army. Octavian wanted to replace himself as centurion in a few years, but he couldn't help think that was a waste. He'd have to think about it another time. Victoria came out dressed and ready. She didn't look happy. "Well! Tell me why am I going to this stupid meeting, I'm not a baby senator!"

Octavian frowned at her. "You realise its practice for the real senate meetings, and all those children will be on the council when they leave the army. You shouldn't relay on our parents to get you cushy job."

"I don't want a cushy job on the Upper senate. I want to join the American army and blow things up." Octavian sighed. "That's not how it works; go talk to Christian about it, his half-sister is in the army, apparently." She hit his arm. "I'm not talking to that jerk!"

"Well then, don't come back to me when you don't get accepted." Victoria huffed but didn't say anything. At the gate Severus had managed to convince the kids at the gate that letting a citizen in was totally okay. Octavian shook his head at them. Then turned to Severus, "What did I tell you about staying put? Citizen's aren't allowed inside the camp." Severus shrugged. "Nobody told me." Octavian rolled his eyes and clapped his hands together. "Stand to attention, what if something gets through the borders, and you aren't ready?" They clambered to stand fearing Victoria's wrath.

They walked to the city. In front of them was Larry and Aelia, behind them followed Reyna, Gwendolyn, Death boy, Hank, and _them_. Octavian's lip twitched, he walked faster. Terminus smiled when they approached. "_Bonum mane! _ID's people," Octavian held out his and Severus gave Little Julia his sword. Terminus looked at the knife hanging at Octavian's side. "I am the augur, Terminus," Terminus nodded. "Yes, yes. Ok, Victoria, First Cohort, centurion, naturally. Ah! Alexander Severus, good to see you. Happy birthday for the twenty-fourth!" Severus smiled. "_Benigne dicis_ Terminus!"

They walked away just as the others came up the hill. Terminus shifted his attention to them. Severus gestured for Little Julia to come over carrying all of their weapons. Her eyes were bright. Severus knelt down. "Come to my house later today, _bene habet?" _Julia nodded with a huge grin on her face. "Does L win? Does he?"

"Can't tell you, it's spoil the surprise." Julia squirmed. Severus took his sword from Julia, Victoria hadn't brought anything. He pulled off his jumper and tossed the gladius behind his back, when he pulled the jumped back on and flicked up the hoddie you couldn't even tell, not unless you really looked. Octavian kept walking to the Senate House. Inside Victoria took a seat on the second row of seats; Severus hurried up the stairs and waved at the older citizens. Octavian took his position at the front; his gaze went over the two empty seats. Empty for too long. He thought bitterly.

Four more days, if the camp survived he was sure he was going to be praetor, he _had _to be praetor. His father would kill him if he didn't get the position. Octavian gripped the stuffed animal he'd brought, if he's father didn't Octavian was surely to be kicked out and abandoned by his family as a failure, he was starting to understand how Trajan had felt before he'd ran away. Reyna arrived. She'd done something with her hair, or maybe her normal frown was deeper than usual. Octavian couldn't tell which.

When the ninth hour came everyone was in attendance and they began. Reyna walked to the podium and raised her hand, eyes focused their attention on her. "Right, this is an emergency meeting. We won't stand on formalities."

"I love formalities!" yelled a Lares from the top row. Reyna shot him a look and continued. "First of all. We're not here to vote on the quest We're not here to vote on the quest itself. The quest has been issued by Mars Ultor, patron of Rome. We will obey his wished. Nor are we her to debate the choice of Frank Zhang's companions."

"All three from the Fifth cohort?" Called Hank, echoing everyone's thoughts, "That's not fair!"

"And not smart," Larry spoke up. "We _know _the Fifth will mess up. They should take somebody _good." _Dakota of the Fifth stood so quickly he spilled his stupid sugary drink; he understood why he wasn't allowed wine, but honestly? Kool-Aid? It brought home the fact that the army of the glorious Rome had been reduced to a bunch of squabbling children.

"We were plenty good last night when we whipped your _podex_, Larry!"

"Enough, Dakota." Reyna said. "Leave Larry's _podex_ out of this. As quest leader, Frank has the right to choose his companions. He has chosen Percy Jackson and Hazel Levesque." A Lar sitting near Victoria yelled in defiance. "_Absurdus! _Frank Zhang isn't even a full member of the legion! He'd on _probatio. _A quest must be run by someone of centurion rank or higher. This is completely-"

"Cato." Reyna snapped. "We must obey the wishes of Mars Ultor. That means certain…adjustments." Reyna clapped her hands Octavian put his knife down and stepped forward when she glanced at him. She nodded slightly to the velvet package on one of the seats, Jason's seat. _Not for long._ "Frank Zhang, come forward." Octavian called after he'd picked up the package, the Mural Crown. Frank stood nervously and came down.

"It's my…pleasure," Octavian managed to say, "to bestow upon you the Mural Crown for being the first over the walls in siege warfare." Octavian handed him the bronze badge, shaped like a laurel wreath, at least it wasn't an actual laurel wreath seeing the boy were that would have made him gag. "Also, by our of Praetor Reyna, to promote you to the rank of centurion."

He passed Frank the centurion's badge giving him a meaningful look and waited. The Senate rose in protest. "He's still a probie!" Yelled the centurion for the Fourth, Alexandra. "Impossible!" Yelled her partner, Joshua. "Water cannon up my nose!" Yelled Victoria, at that he couldn't take any more speaking more to his sister he called for, "Silence!" He looked away from Frank and turned to the people who looked at him, waiting. He smiled, know exactly what to do. "Our praetor recognises that no one below the rank of centurion may lead a quest. For good or ill, Frank must lead this quest – so our praetor has decreed that Frank Zhang must be made centurion." Octavian looked over the crowd reflecting their feelings on his face.

Reyna looked at him with irritation. He looked back at her; _you're the one who chose to make an enemy out of me. I liked you, Reyna._ She turned away and he did as well."There is an opening for centurion." She spoke calmly but Octavian took the small victory anyway. "One of our officers, also a senator, has decided to step down. After ten years in the legion, she will retire to the city and attend college. Gwen of the Fifth Cohort, we thank you for your service." Octavian watched everyone's reactions, seeing them all turn to Gwen, she smiled. Octavian watched the three proposed questers, they all looked sad but he felt that it was an act; one of them had been there for a _day, _and to think they had any sort of remorse for her leaving was unbelieving.

"As praetor, I have the right to replace officers. I admit it's unusual for a camper on _probatio _to rise directly to rank of centurion, but I think we can agree, last night was unusual." _You just keep digging that hole deeper don't you? _Octavian thought watching Reyna, noticing his concern was touching his features, he mentally criticised himself and turned away, he knew what she was going to say before she did. "Frank Zhang, your ID please."

Frank removed the lead tablet from his neck and handed it to Octavian, how took it with a supportive smile. "Your arm," Octavian said softly, easily forcing politeness. Frank understood holding out his arm. Octavian rose a raised a hand to the sky and Olympus, the other gripped Frank's arm firmly. "We accept Frank Zhang, Son of Mars, to the Twelfth Legion Fulminata for his first year of service. Do you pledge your life to the senate and people of Rome?"

Frank replied, "Ud-dud," or something like that, and Octavian raised and eyebrow, shaking his head slightly. Frank understood and tried to speak again, this time he manage a most undignified, "I do." The senators around them shouted, "_Senatus Populusque Romanus!" _Octavian watched in silence as Frank stared at his arm, it lit up in flames crafting two spears and a single stipe; it was an interesting piece of magic that was for sure. "You may sit down." He said, giving Frank a casual but obvious tap of the shoulder to make him actually hear what Octavian was saying, the boy was clearly in over his head. Octavian looked over the senate, hoping they realised it too, from there expressions, they did, and they didn't like what was happening one bit.

"Now, we must discuss the quest." Octavian stepped back and let Reyna take the reins; she was doing _such_ a great job after all. "We must discuss the appropriate form of support, if any, that will be provided to the quest." Octavian's eyes were drawn to the three kids in the back rows, Hazel was pinning the awards onto his shirt, Octavian realised they weren't even paying attention. His lip twitched into a smile. "Reyna, I do believe we should discuss a plan of action before considering if they require help, or no." Reyna nodded in understanding. Octavian looked over to Zhang, still not paying attention, perfect.

"Centurion Zhang, do you have any plans for this venture? You and you're friends have had the night and morning to put your thoughts together." He paused, not letting the satisfaction show on his face. "Centurion Zhang!" The boy finally turned. Everyone was looking at him now. "Did you hear my question?" Zhang blinked.

"Um…sorry. What?" Octavian turned to the senate, and let the smirk show on his face. "I was _asking," _Octavian forced the word out slowly, feeling an intense satisfaction in treating the new centurion as a child. "if you have a plan for the quest. Do you even know where you are going?"

"Umm…" Came the response, Octavian opened his mouth to continue before the slow boy could pull his thoughts together. But then little miss "I'm so perfect" Levesque stood, "Weren't _you_ listening last night, Octavian? Mars was pretty clear. We're going to the land beyond the gods – Alaska." Octavian glared at her while the people in the room squirmed. There was a tense silence in the room until, thankfully, Larry stood.

"I know what Mars said, but that's crazy. Alaska is cursed! They call it the last beyond the gods for a reason. It's so far north that the Roman gods have no power there. The place is swarming with monsters. No demi-god has come back from there alive since–"

"Since you lost your eagle," Percy said. Larry stared at him, his knees went out from under him and he fell back into the seats. Octavian noted that while Percy seemed to believe he was some great Roman, he said "You" not "We". Percy continued obvious to the chaos he had caused. "Look, I know I'm new here. I know you guys don't like to mention that massacre in the 1980s –"

"He mentioned it!" A Forum Lar called.

"-but don't you get it?" Percy continued as if the Lar hadn't spoken, Octavian smiled a bit, that was a funny kid. "The Fifth Cohort led that expedition. We failed, and we have to be responsible for making things right." Octavian frowned at that. It was a very good argument which could change just how the senate perceived this quest. With a few words Percy had made the quest not an order of a god, but a matter of pride, and pride was something Romans understood. "That's why Mars is sending us." And he ruined it. "The giant, the son of Gaia, he'd the one who defeated your forces thirty years ago. I'm sure of it. Now he's sitting up there in Alaska with a chained death god, and all yoru old equipment. He's mustering his armies and send them south to attack this camp."

"Really?" Octavian spoke up, "You seem to know a lot about the enemies plans, Percy Jackson." Once he'd said it he knew that were wasn't a better insult to the boy who stood above him. Octavian masked his fascination as he watched Percy's face contort then relax as he understood what Octavian was implying, then slowly his face went red in anger. His shoulders became tense, and Octavian wondered if he would strike at him. He hoped the boy did, then everyone who distrust his judgement. Then he took control of himself, breathing deeply.

"We're going to confront Gaia. We'll get back your eagle and unchain this god…" Percy looked at Hazel. "Thanatos, right?" She nodded.

"Letus, in Roman. But his old Greek name is Thanatos. When it comes to Death…we're happy to let him stay Greek." Octavian sighed in exasperation, "Well, _whatever _you call him…how do you expect to do all this and get back by the Feast of Fortuna? That's the evening of the twenty-fourth. It's the twentieth now. Do you even know where to look? Do you even know who this son of Gaia is?"

"Yes." Hazel said with complete certainly. Octavian had to hand it to her; she knew how to look convincing. "I don't know _exactly _where to look, but I hate a pretty good idea. The giant's name is Alcyoneus." The room became colder at the name and a few people shivered. Reyna gripped the podium. "How do you know this, Hazel? Because you're a child of Pluto?" Nico stood his black toga stark against his skin.

"Praetor, if I may?" Nico looked at her with a frown just off his face. "Hazel and I… we learned a little about the giants from our father. Each giant was bred specifically to oppose one of the twelve Olympian gods – to usurp that god's domain. The king of giants was Porphyrion, the anti-Jupiter. But the eldest giant was Alcyoneus. He was born to oppose Pluto. That's why we know of him in particular." Reyna frowned.

"Indeed? You sound_ quite _familiar with him." Nico looked down a bit, picking at his toga. "Anyway…the giants were had to kill. According to prophecy, they could only be defeat by gods and demi-gods working together."

Octavian almost laughed, that was never going to happen again. Dakota belched, "sorry, did you say gods and demi-gods…like, fighting side by side? That could never happen!"

"It has happened." Nico said clearly impatient. "In the first giant war, the gods called on the heroes to join them, and they were victorious. Whether it could happen again, I don't know. But immortal, impossible to kill by god or demi-god, as long as he remained in his territory – the place were he was born…If he has been reborn in Alaska –"

"Then he can't be defeated there." Hazel finished. "Ever. By any means. Which is why the 1980s mission was doomed to fail," At this the senate decided into chaos. People shouted over each other trying to be heard. Hands were waved and threats made. Octavian sighed shaking his head. The worse thing about the entire situation was that the Upper Senate or the real senate wasn't much better.

"Silence!" Reyna yelled, cutting everyone off. "Senators, we must act like Romans. Mars had given us this quest, and we have to believe it is possible. These three demigods must travel to Alaska. They must free Thanatos and returne before the Feast of Fortuna. If they can retrieve the lost eagle in the process, so much the better. All we can do is advise them and make sure they have a plan." At this Reyna looked at Percy with doubt filled eyes. "You _do _have a plan don't you?"

Percy swallowed and looked around, he seemed at a loss. "First, I need to understand something." _Ah, he's stalling. Brilliant. _Percy Jackson turned to Nico di Angelo. "I though Pluto was the god of the dead. Now I hear about this other guy, Thanatos, and the Doors of Death from that prophecy – the Prophecy of Seven. What does all this mean?"

Nico took a deep breathe. "Okay. Pluto is the god of the underworld, but the actual god of death, the one who's responsible for making sure souls go to the afterlife and stay there – that's Pluto' lieutenant, Thanatos. He's like…well, imagine Life and Death are two different countries. Everyone would like to be in Life, right? So there's a guarded border to keep people from crossing back over without permission. But it's a big border, with lots of hoe in the fence. Pluto tries to seal up the breaches, but new ones keep popping up all the time. That's why he depends on Thanatos, who's like the border patrol, the police."

"Thanatos catches souls," Octavian looked at the boy, _Death kid just said so, do you have to hear it again? _"And deports them back to the Underworld."

"Exactly." Nico agreed. "But now Thanatos has been captured, chained up." Zhang raised a hand tentatively. Octavian suppressed a groan, _oh great, what wise words does Zhang have for us today? _"Uh…how do you chain Death?" Octavian felt sorry for the Detah kid for the first time in his life, he had to deal with two idiots at once, he was getting annoyed just watching.

"it has been done before. In the old days, a guy named Sisyphus tricked Death and tied him up. Another time Hercules wrestled him to the ground."

"And now a giant has captured him." Percy said. "So if we could free Thanatos, then the dead would stay dead?" his gaze went to Gwen, and he gave are a weak smile. "Um…no offense,"

"It's more complicated than that." Nico said. Octavian had had enough, "Why does that not surpise me?" He said rolling his eyes. He gave Nico a 'seriously stop talking' look which was lost to the boy in his five minutes of fame.

"You mean the Door of Death." Reyna said ignoring Octavian, who moved his gaze to her not even bothering trying to give anything more than a 'hate you' look; she didn't understand the other ones. "They are mentioned in the Prophecy of Seven which sent the first expedition to Alaska-"

"We all know how that turned out!" a Lar howled. "We Lares remember!" The other Lares nodded in agreement. Then as they all started to speak Nico turned to them with his finger to his lips. Suddenly the Lares stopped being able to talk, Octavian looked at the boy wondering if he could do that permanently. Nico turned back. "Thanatos is only part of the solution. The Doors of Death…well, that's a concept even I don't completely understand. There are many ways into the Underworld – the River Styx, the Door of Orpheus – plus smaller escape routes that open up from time to time. With Thanatos imprisoned, all those exits will be easier to use.

Sometimes it might work to our advantage and let a friendly soul come back – like Gwen here. More often, it will benefit evil souls and monsters, the sneaky ones who are looking to escape." Octavian looked at the boy, he was the bloody son of bloody Pluto and_ he_ was talking about evil? He didn't believe in good and evil. "Now, the Doors of Death – those are the personal doors of Thanatos, his fast lane between Life and Death. Only Thanatos is supposed to know where they're, and the location shifts over the ages. If I understand correctly, the Doors of Death have been forced open. Gaia's minions have seized control-"

"Which means Gaia controls who can come back from the dead." Percy guessed, finally grasping the subject. Octavian was about to say, "Give the boy a prize." But then Nico started up again, everyone was watching him, hanging on his words. "She had pick and choose who to let out – the worst monsters, the most evil souls. If we rescue Thantos, that means at least he can catch souls again and send them below. Monsters will die when we kill them, like they used to, and we'll get a little breathing room. But unless we're able to retake the Doors of Death, our enemies won't stay down for long. They'll have an easy way back to the world of the living."

"So we can catch them and deport them. But they will just keep coming back."

"In a depressing nutshell, yes," Nico nodded grimly.

Frank scratched his head. "But Thanatos knows were the doors are, right? If we free him, he can just retake them." Octavian couldn't believe Frank had been listening the entire time and not realise that none of this was that simple. He was the leader of this quest, New Rome was doomed.

"I don't think so," Nico shook his head in thought, "Not alone. He's no match for Gaia. That would take a massive quest…an army of the best demigods."

"_Foes bear arms to the Doors of Death." _Reyna said. "That's the Prophecy of Seven…" She looked at Percy, and Octavian frowned, he knew that look. That was the 'help me Jason' look. Percy wasn't Jason, but still… "If this begins the ancient prochecy, we don't have resourced to send an army to these Doors of Death _and _protect the camp. I can't imagine even sparing seven demigods-"

"First things first," Percy's voice was filled with masked confidence; it was practiced, like he'd faced a group of almost panicking children before. "I don't know who the seven are, or what that old prophecy means, exactly. But first we have to free Thanatos. Mars told us we only needed three people for the quest to Alaska. Let's concentrate on succeeding with that and getting back before the Feast of Fortuna. Then we can worry about the Doors of Death."

"Yeah," Frank said into his shirt. "That's probably enough for one week."

"So you _do _have a plan?" Octavian asked strongly believing that even with all three of their heads together the two idiots next to Hazel would totally out way the equation, they'd never have a plan with Zhang leading. Percy looked at his teammates. "We go to Alaska as fast as possible…"

"And we improvise." Hazel continued and smile on her face.

"A lot." Zhang added. Octavian raised an eyebrow, despite the imminent doom he couldn't help but smile at these three losers. Reyna studied them, she looked like she was vowing to write a will. Sighing she nodded. "Very well, nothing remains except for us to vote on what support we can give the quest – transportation, money, magic, weapons." Octavian had been waiting for this.

"Praetor, if I may." Reyna turned to him. "The camp is in grave danger. _Two _gods have warned us we will be attacked four days from now. We must not spread our resources too thin, especially by funding projects that have a slim chance of success." He looked over to the three of them with pity, _poor children, off to the big world all on their own. _He continued holding Percy's gaze. "Mars has clearly chosen the least likely candidates for this quest.

Perhaps that is because he considers them the most expendable. Perhaps Mars is playing the long odds. Whatever the case, he wisely _didn't _order a massive expedition, nor did he ask us to fund the adventure. I say we keep our resources here and defend the camp. This is where the battle will be lost or won. If these three succeed, wonderful! But they should do so by their own ingenuity." Octavian finished sweeping his gaze across the room, meeting their eyes. He nodded slightly, nothing they would notice, but he saw he'd bounce unconsciously back and knew he had them.

As people started to mutter, Zhang jumped to his feet, looking ready to start a fight. Octavian gave him a; _bring it, _look, but then Percy hurried to reply. "Fine! No problem. But at least give us transportation. Gaia is the earth goddess, right? Going overland, across the earth – I'm guessing we should avoid that. Plus it'll be too slow." Octavian laughed.

"Would you like us to charter you and aeroplane?" Percy looked suddenly very sick, and shook his head. "No. Air travel…I have a feeling that would be bad, too. But a boat. Can you at least give us a boat?" Octavian looked at he boy with a smile. "A boat!" he called turning to the senators. "The son of Neptune wants a boat. Sea travel has never been the Roman way, but he isn't much of a Roman!" _Graecus. _Octavian thought as he looked over Percy.

"Octavian," Reyna said, like she was ridiculing a child, he forced his face to go blank and looked at her to go on. "a boat is little enough to ask. And providing no other aid seems very-"

"Traditional!" Octavian exclaimed, getting caught up in the mood. "It's very traditional. Let us see if these questers have the strength to survive without help, like true Romans!" Muttering filled the chamber, eyes moving from Octavian to Reyna and back, watching as they fought a battle of wills. Reyna could not touch him here however and he was confident in his victory, let Zhang have hell, all he wanted to do was undermine Reyna.

Reyna straightened. "Very well." She forced herself to say. "We'll put it to a vote. Senators, the motion is as follows: the quest shall go to Alaska. The senate shall provide full access to the Roman navy docked at Alameda. No other aid will be forthcoming. The three adventurers will survive or fail on their own merits. All in favour?" Octavian watched as eyes glanced at Victoria, she smiled and was the first with her hand in the air. He gave her a look that had her hand down first, but the damage was done, the hands went flying.

"The motion is passed." Reyna turned to Frank, ignoring Octavian whose hands were clenching and unclenching while he thought about wrapping his hands around her neck. _One day I'll out rank her, just have to wait till then. _"Centurion, your party is excused. The senate has other matter to discuss. And, Octavian, if I may confer with you for a moment," _No you may not confer with me for a moment. _He thought as he followed her to the back room. Her expression was a mix of victory and anger.

"Why, why do you attempt to twist my words even as I say them?" She didn't want an answer. "Do you even realise that this quest is our only hope? You of all people should be cheering them on." She pointed to his chest and he raised an eyebrow. "Right…why should I care if the new kids survive?"

"Because if they don't, New Rome is finished!"

"Do you have so little confidence in the legion, Reyna; you're supposed to be the supportive one. I honestly don't care if they go on a ride with Pax. That thing needs a test drive." Reyna shook her head unbelievingly. "Please take this seriously."

"I am! How can I not? New Rome is my home; I just don't want people like Percy Jackson screwing it up." Reyna's eyes narrowed. "People like Jackson? What's wrong with people like him? Is it that they are actually nice people, is that your problem? Well if you have to know, I'd choose Percy over you any day of the mouth, and I think everyone else will too." _Not if he's dead. _Octavian thought. "I need you to go tell Jackson I want a meeting with him before he leaves. Can you do that?"

Octavian sighed. "Are you trying to get rid of me so you're plans get through? Reyna if they're good, I won't stop you, it's just some of your ideas are a little-"

"I won't say it again. Find Jackson, and tell him to meet me. This discussing is over." With that she turned around and out the door into the main chamber. He sighed and decided he best get back quickly, knowing Reyna she had something up her sleeve. He caught them half way to the city borders, gesturing for Severus to follow. He disappeared soon after, but Octavian knew he was there, he was always there.

"Jackson!" He called when he got close enough. Percy turned around and his face instantly soured who he recognised him. "What do you want?" Octavian smiled, good question. "Already decided I'm your enemy? That's a rash choice, Percy. I'm a loyal Roman."

"You backstabbing, slimy-" Frank moved in to get physical but both Percy and Hazel stopped him. He looked rather riled up too, Octavian wondered if he'd guessed the truth, but discounted it, Zhang wasn't very smart. "Oh, dear," Octavian said, almost worried that one day this monstrosity of a human would actually hit him, he knew just by looking at the boy it would hurt, a lot. "Hardly the right behaviour for a new centurion. Jackson, I only followed you because Reyna charged me with a message. She wants you to report to the _principia _without your – ah – lackeys, here. Reyna will meet you there after the senate adjourns. She'd like a private word with you before you leave on your quest."

"What about?"

"I'm sure I don't know." Octavian smiled, though it was more of a sneer. "The last person she had a private talk with was Jason Grace. And that was the last time I ever saw him. Good luck and goodbye, Percy Jackson. With that he walked away quickly, keen to get back to the senate. When they were out of ear shot Octavian called for Severus. His brother walked over with wide eyes. "Are you going back?" Octavian nodded. Follow then, see if you can get Percy to…I don't know, drown, before he leaves shore. Can you do that?"

"I'll try…" Severus said running after them. Octavian glared at the ground. Percy Jackson, he was starting to hate that name, the guy had been in New Rome for a day, yet he looked down on Octavian as a person not to be trusted, without loyalty to the city he was born in. It made his blood boil; it was one thing for Jason to parade around on his high horse while he expected everyone to stare in awe and cheer his name, but for a _graecus _to call him an enemy, that was the final straw. With a sigh he resigned to deal with it later, for now he had other things to attend to. Namely his little sister.

**This chapter literally took FOREVER. I feel like I got just right that story without even looking at the book now. But I hope you liked it. If not, go screw yourselves, Ich bein wunderbar. **

**Please review thank you. **


	5. A Week In Denial Part 1

**Octavian's Slightly Biased Diary of Events**

**Chapter 5: A Week in Denial **

**Part 1**

"So, will I ever see that boy again?" Octavian asked as Reyna walked into the room. She scowled when she saw him. "Not the time."

"Anyways the time." He leant back making himself more comfortable. She shook her head and sat down on one of the seats, taking a glass of wine from the table. Octavian sipped at his own, it wasn't very good, but then again Reyna didn't know the difference. "He's not a boy."

"Hmm?" Octavian looked up. Reyna sighed. "He's not a boy Octavian; he's the same age as me."

"Physically perhaps," he sipped the drink again, noting how the maker had used a bad grape, causing the entire thing to be ruined. He wondered if she drank this every day, no wonder she was so bitter. "Mentally too." She said. He looked at her with a wry smile. "So he tried to make a move on you or something?" Reyna forced herself to stay seated, she was learning.

"…No, he did not."

"Then, how is he mentally seventeen? Reyna you should know better, I thought Jason had your heart away way." Reyna's jaw clenched. "We are not discussing this." Octavian accepted that, he didn't want to talk about Jason either, it just always happened when they talked. Like his ghost haunted their conversations. "Fine, what do you wish to talk about?"

"Nothing, you are the one who came here."

"That's true." He took another sip, forgetting that it was disgusting until it was too late. "Reyna, seriously I'm going to give you a bottle of wine, this stuff is horrible." Her hand tightened around the glass. "You _can_ leave."

"No. I'm serious; I'll give it to you, a gift. Maybe then you'll get the stuff my family makes, the good stuff." She shook her head. "I don't think so." Octavian sighed and put the glass on the table. "Why can't you at least pretend to be nice?"

"What like you do?" She said, the hatred in her voice was deep, he supposed her acting skills just weren't up to scratch. "And I do pretend to be nice, outside, when people can see. But in here, this is my home, and I can tell you to go screw yourself all I want. Thank you." He looked around her 'home' with an unbelieving gaze, "You call this a home?"

She almost threw the glass at the table.

"Go."

"What? Reyna-"

"Get OUT!" He stood and left, glancing back at her at the door. "Out." She glared at him and he nodded. Closing the door behind him. He sighed and closed his eyes, leaning against the door. Why did it always end like that? Some time he thought she blamed him for Jason's sudden disappearance, which might have been alright accept he wasn't responsible. For all he knew Jason had been whisked away by the gods never to be found again. Composing himself he left the building and walked over to the training grounds. Unlike the before where a dozen new legionaries were learning to fight the training ground had mini battles waging, with the best swordsmen and women from each cohort. Octavian sat down to watch. And wondered if he should get back into practicing, it would help his praetorship is the legionaries thought me a good fighter.

He pulled a patch a grass from the ground and tossed it away. The bits of green fell to the ground without ceremony. A shadow came over him and Severus sat down, his face down cast. "Could…couldn't," Octavian nodded, not looking at his brother. They sat in silence until he said, "You shouldn't be here, this is camp grounds." Severus nodded, standing. "Sorry…"

"Its fine," He said a little too harshly. Severus hurried away. Octavian frowned then stood. He turned away walking towards the city. Tonight was gladiatorial fights so he had nothing to plan, expect of course a victory for the First, he'd have to make sure they were all ready to suffer the consequences, once was a fluke, twice – in a row – was failure. He didn't dare think about a third loss in a row. No, tonight the First was winning, or he'd work them to the ground. The thought made him more optimistic about the games, a loss could be useful in the grand scheme, it wouldn't do if they didn't suffer any challenges.

He waved absently back to a person he vaguely knew and took a seat at one of the restaurants that sat on the main road of the city, his friends said passing hellos Octavian left them to talk over exactly they were going to make Aelia's birthday the most embarrassing it could possibly be. Other than the made road the city didn't have much in the way of shops, but everything was there so it didn't matter. "Octavian," Octavian looked up and found Christian looking very sinister. "Do you have any dirt on Ally?" Octavian raised an eyebrow.

"No, why do you ask? I don't have any dirt on anyone; I don't throw dirt." He, or the face Christian made, scored laughs. "You know what I mean, you know like…if she had embarrassing pictures or something." Octavian shook his head. "I have none of the sort."

"Yeah, right," said Jiordan, she was twenty and a red head. Octavian rolled his eyes. "I don't just give out these things; I think Ally deserves a relaxing birthday." He hoped they'd get the hint; no way was he going to let them concoct something like this for his nineteenth. The fact that he only had a year and a half left in the legion made his teeth clench, there was no law stating you couldn't stay on, but gone were the years that adults defended Rome. "You want money?" Jiordan asked sceptically, maybe she was hoping that was it.

"A secret for a secret, my friend," There was a bit of an 'oh', because to get something truly horrible was to give Octavian something he didn't already know, which was a hard task for people like these. Some of his friends _knew_ things whether because they had powers or they just stumbled into everything, and others worked to find these things out, to unleash chaos onto the camp, while other still just never were good at hide and seek. Most of the kids there, they were the third class, mostly they were children of two demi-gods, legacies, but not really_ legacies_.

"Randy is cheating of Kathlyn with her sister," Christian announced which coursed snickers, "Christian, even Kathlyn knows that, Randy has two broken arms for a reason." Octavian nodded with the others, he wrote a mental note never to date Kathlyn, he didn't cheat a lot but he had a few friends that would find it amusing if he suffered two broken arms. "Anything else?" He smiled at Christian who scowled and sat down. "No…"

"Melissa isn't going to support you for praetor," Said a small voice from behind Jiordan. Suddenly there was silent but Octavian didn't note there expression, he leaned closer so he could see the girl's face. "Which Melissa?" The girl was about fourteen, but she appeared younger as she shrinked away. Octavian glanced at Jiordan and mouth, "Your sister?" Jiordan nodded, Octavian smiled. "Maddy is your name, right?" The girl nodded.

"Melissa Mauve." Octavian frowned. "She's in the third cohort." That Octavian already knew, but he didn't bother to correct her. He nodded instead, and rose. "Christian, Jiordan, came to my house tomorrow and I'll give you a dozen or so photos." Christian nodded and then announced they needed to start planning again. Octavian left the conversation.

He found Melissa Mauve of the Third Cohort siting with a group of girls outside a café. Deciding approaching her while she had the protection of her friends was a bad idea so he leant against a shop and waited running through her weaknesses, wondering if he'd have to bribe her, or make her an enemy by blackmailing her. He didn't have anything serious but now that his previous two targets had left he had time. They saw him soon enough and some of the girls looked scared, now why they were scared he had no idea but they all stood and started moving away. In a pack. He sighed this wasn't just going to be quick.

After a while the girl's split up, only one stayed with Melissa, Paetia Ross. Both lived in the city, Octavian shook his head as they went the roundabout route towards her_ insula_. When they were two streets away from the Lake Paetia stopped. "Octavian do you know what stalking means?" Octavian raised an eyebrow. "I have idea what you're talking about. I'm going home." Paetia crossed her arms. "I doubt it. What do you want?"

"I heard some disturbing news today; I was hoping it wasn't true. Is it?" He took a few steps closer so that they were standing next to each other. He was sure now that neither of them liked him, which was sad because he liked Melissa. "What disturbing news, give us specifics."

"Go home Paetia, this doesn't involve you." He turned away from her; he'd given up on that girl years ago. "Mel, I heard that you dislike me. All I want to know is, why? I like you, you see, and I'd prefer that we were honest about our friendship, so, all I need to know is if the rumours are true or not. Can you help me with that?" Melissa scoffed. "Nup," He sighed.

"Knew it wouldn't be that easy," He smiled at her, glancing at Paetia, who obviously wasn't going anywhere. He'd hoped that the girl would leave her outside her house, then Octavian could get Melissa alone, her demi-gods parents wouldn't deny him a few minutes Octavian was sure. "Paetia, do you know what I've done?" She shook her head a smug smile on her lips.

"Are you angry that…" he thought over everything he knew about her. She was of the Third, she had a bunch of girlfriends which mixed with a few boys, all friend-zoned, then he recalled something she'd said once. "…Hazel Levesque has had these terrible rumours flinging around about her? I don't have anything to do that, on my honour, I don't."

"Don't have an honour you mean," Melissa spat, Octavian's smile tightened. "That's not nice; I take pride in my honour. I promise you that I have done anything to hurt you're crush-"

"My crush! I don't like her-!"

"Wait, Mel, you're a lesbian?" Paetia looked shocked. Melissa seemed to realise her friend was still there. "Ah…um…" Her eyes went to Octavian for a second, they filled with hurt. Octavian tried to look as sincere as possible, but really he was mentally preparing for a _very _intense girl talk/thing/celebration/whatever "Yes."

"Wait…wait. Do you…you know, like, like, me?" Paetia asked, not seeing Melissa's face filled with hurt anger. "This is why I didn't tell you! You think all lesbians love you. Just because I like women doesn't mean I like everyone I see! You're my friend; I thought you'd understand that." Paetia's face softened. "Well…" Then she hugged her friend. "I course I understand! You're my best friend! I love you!..." She pulled away. "You know….like friends." Melissa stared

"Well," He cut in, "Now you're all buddies again. Will you accept my apology for whatever I did wrong by you? Please." He held out his hand. She looked at it but shook her head. "No, you're…you and I, we're not friends anymore. I can't." Her face was set and she nodded slightly. He let his hand drop. "I'm sorry." He whispered, allowing the emotion about losing a vote come through his voice like he was sad they weren't friends. Then he walked away, slowly, head bowed. When he turned the corner he stood straight again and mulled over the events bitterly.

He walked slowly to Aelia's house which wasn't close by but he knew it was better to see her today, than tomorrow. The street she lived it was the closest thing that New Rome had to being middle class. A row of domus, with short walls squished onto a plot of land that was far too small for the design.

While her father was a senator he was the first in her line to be so, Octavian respected the man for that, not everyone had parents that could magic you in. He knocked at the door. The door came open. "Oh, Octavian what are you doing here?" Octavian glanced over the dress she wore, definitely better than her uniform. "Why? Can't I come visit you?" Aelia looked doubtful, "Actually, I was wondering if you wanted anything for you birthday, it's in what, a few days?" She nodded and opened the door for him.

"I doubt that's your real reason," Octavian looked at her with mock surprise. "No…" She shook her head and laughed. "Don't worry." She gripped his shoulder, pushing her head away from her face. "I don't mind you coming over, would you like some food, wine?" They walked into the atrium, it looked like it had been added recently and he suspected they'd sacrificed a lot of their free land to build it.

The roof of the atrium was open to the heavens with a few stone benches around the central fountain. "A bit if you don't mind, I hate to intrude." Aelia nodded and walked further into the house. He ran his fingers along the fountain, cement. He flicked the water and walked after her. She headed to a section of the house Octavian rarely went to even in his own house, the kitchen. He looked around for photos of her; the walls had simple mosaics which Octavian liked. In the kitchen he found a book case and looked through it. It was messy with no order. Aelia had gone down to the cellar, he suspected he had about a minute, depending on the size of her cellar.

He pulled out a book, it was thin but had the word (in English); _memories, _printed on the stem in curved script. He went out into the hall and wondered back to the atrium. She found him just after he'd placed the book behind a group of flowers. "Bread, wine and fruit, the staples of life," she announced carrying a plate. She set it down on a stone table and he moved over to it.

"Sounds good," he waited for her to take the first piece of out habit. One could never be too careful in his house, when his family prepared food it nearly always was poison, though to be fair his mother was just a terrible cook. He dipped the bread into a third glass of wine and ate it. Taking a cautious sip of the wine, he smiled. "Well, this is definitely better than Reyna's plonk," Aelia's lips quirked.

"I'd expect as much, you're family sold it to us."

"Well, I might be a bit bias, then." He grinned and she laughed, drinking deeply. "So spill, why are you here?"

"Well, you see I was in the neighbourhood and I thought I'd just pop by for a bit of a visit," she shook her head eating a pear. "Not likely."

"Well I was walking passed the main street and afterwards I realised I haven't had lunch today, and it was about lunch time and your house is closer so…"

"You decided that you were going to get food off of me? You sound like your sister."

"We are related…unless she's adopted. She could be. I certainly hope so." Aelia shook her head. "Nah, she looks like your _pater," _Octavian nodded, the similarity couldn't be denied. "Her name is Victoria however, so perhaps she was."

"That's like saying if I was named Hannah I wouldn't be a legacy."

"Not a good one at least," Her face hardened, then he gave her a conspiratorial grin and she shook her head and laughed. "You are ridiculous, you know that? Honestly, eat and leave would you. I see you enough as it is." Octavian drained the glass and set it down. "You really want me to leave? Are you sure, I may not come back."

"Go." Octavian stood rolling his eyes. "I'll help you pack up. It's the least I can do." He picked up the cup and tipped it at her. She was trying to be serious but wasn't really pulling it off; she grabbed the cup and stood. "Fine, fine. You can carry the fruit to the _culina." _He waited as she walked away with the cups and he looked down at the plates wondering what he'd gotten himself into. He walked over to the photo album and flicked through quickly, he found a few darling pictures, and few that made him laugh and once again in his life he had happy neither of his parents took baby pictures.

He walked back to the table and picked up the bowl of half eaten fruit. He set it on the table and shoved the book where it belonged. Aelia took the bowl and flipped the fruit into another bowl. "Papa will eat it when he comes home." Octavian nodded. "Still want me to leave?"

"Yes." He nodded and walked out of her house, the half a dozen pictures in his pocket. It wasn't stealing, she'd get them back. When he got home he walked straight to his room and pulled out her file. He swapped a few of them with the images and set them down on his desk. He wondered if Victoria was home yet. He walked out of his room and went to the door one over.

He knocked, thinking over exactly how he was going to say this. Then he shrugged, she was likely to boost about it anyway. There was a strained bark from inside but other than that it was silence. Octavian frowned, Victoria didn't own a dog, then he heard the whimpering as what it was, a distorted Michael Jackson song, he gritted his teeth. She'd stolen his dog! That was a great dog. It hadn't died when he'd shoved a radio down its throat. He shook his head, how old would it be now? And to have to suffer Victroia's tortures no this had to be reified. And here he had been thinking it had run away, but no! Victoria was going to pay.

He knew she wasn't in the room and moved on. He knocked on Hadrian's door. It opened and he walked it. Hadrian had a line of weapons along his wall, from the thinnest dagger to a sword only Hadrian could weld, and everything else like rapiers, clubs, even a rifle with bullets laced in Imperial Gold. Hadrian looked up at him with an inquiring expression. "Victoria?" Hadrian frowned then nodded. "Where?"

"Bath." He knocked his head slightly to the side, Hadrian wasn't a man of many words, and that meant he _thought_ she was there, she might not actually be there. He nodded. "_Gratias tibi." _Hadrian nodded and returned to whatever he'd been doing before. Octavian walked to the main baths and found Victoria playing with the water foundation. "_Aqua! Aqua!_ I _amare aqua!" _She was singing. He cleared his throat. "Almost as much as I love _ignis! Oh! Aqua! Ego amare aqua!" _

"Victoria would you please shut up, you're a horrible singer."

"_Salve, major frater." _She said not looking at him. At least she'd stopped singing. "You stole my dog." Victoria laughed. "No, _nulla, _no. I didn't, Sev, did. Naughty of him wasn't it? I stole it off him, so I didn't actually steal it off you." She twisted and swam out away from the fountain, under the water, she was naked, Octavian focused on her face. No way was he going to let her pull something ridiculous on him. "Do you think you could pass me that bottle, I wanna make bubbles." Octavian rolled his eyes and tossed the bottle in question at her. She caught it and started empting it like she was three again.

"Why did you vote against me in the senate today?"

"Why does it matter?" She said furiously making bubbles. They were starting to grow around her face and he wondered if that was her goal. "I matters because I lost against Reyna, _Reyna_, it's not acceptable. And it's your fault."

"Maybe…it's yours, you were a bit mean to them, could have been nicer."

"He's a _graecus. _And we're setting him off to save _Roma. _It's ridiculous! I hope they all die on that quest. To prove to Reyna that her buddies aren't good enough to have responsibility put on their shoulders."

"I have to admit…I kind of wanted to do it myself."

"Exactly," He said taking a seat. "So why challenge me?"

"I don't know…" He glared at her. She sunk lower, stopping her bubble making. "Because…I thought it would be funny." Octavian stood in anger. "_Ce?" What? _He didn't bother taming his anger, his was his home, no one else was watching. "You_ cogitasti_ I would be _amuzant?_" He pulled a knife. She suddenly seemed to realise she her only protection was the water. She sunk down; he could see her moving away.

She surfaced for a second gasping for breath. He threw the knife, it flipped and the butt hit her in the forehead. She fell into the water, the knife sunk with her. He turned away satisfied she wouldn't die, but she sure wouldn't do it again. He shoved his hands into his pocket and remembered why he'd never brought another dog...or a cat, cats were a hundred per cent better and everyone knew that. _Self control, that's all it is, self control. _He walked slowly outside and sat down on the hill, the Lakes water was inches away from him. He closed his eyes and focused.

He'd go to school today he decided, it would get him mind off Victoria's body slowly drowning. Soon after one of the staff began to cause a racket, she had been discovered. He waited as the flurry of Latin and English filled the house. Then it was silent. He wondered if Victoria would need ambrosia or something. Then he stood and walked back into the house. He had expected that to lay her on her bed but the door was probably still locked. She was resting on a couch while a dozen people worked away at her. She was just starting to become conscious. "Is she alright?" He asked not really caring. One of the people nodded. "She'll be fine."

"But honestly, it looks like she was knocked out. Who would…?" His voice trailed away at Octavian's expression. "Ah, yes. She's going to be fine. Just needs to rest for a few days." Rest? Octavian smiled. Never. Her punishment was just beginning.

Skip

Octavian woke up and read his calendar confirming his memory that today was the third Wednesday of the month and therefore, his 'No talk to anyone day'. He considered telling Christian to come tomorrow but then he shrugged and fell back into his bed. Suddenly his phone beeped. He groaned because the people that actually owned phones, who had his number, where very low, and considering in was only seven o'clock in the morning he doubted half of them would be awake. He reached over to table and picked it up refusing to get out of bed again for at least another hour.

The text was from Aelia.

_You are so dead. _

He groaned again, knowing he should get up and go and talk to her but…he really didn't want to at this point. It was the third Wednesday of the mouth! He refused to deviate from his routine; he just wouldn't leave the house. That was it. Planned. He rolled over picking up head phones and pugging it in. It was all going great until his door got slammed open. Victoria ran straight at him, his fists flying. He kicked her in the face. She stepped back swearing. "Yes, little sister?" He asked calmly returning his attention to his phone.

"You're the anti-Christ!" He looked up at her and raised an eyebrow. "Why? I thought you thought you were." She tried to hit him again, he flicked her hand away. "I tell you, Victoria, you're acting less than civilised." Her face slacked and she straightened. "_Dearest_ _frater, _please inform he why despite the doctor's orders I now have to do six hours straight on guard duty, then three hours of training, and then I have to clean the stables." She began normally, then the sarcasm began. "_Dearest_ _frater, _I hope you realise that making me_ clean_ is not a good idea. I will also remind you that I, as a valuable member of the legion have made my point that I very much _dis_like guard duty. Please consider this."

"Dearest _sora, _if you didn't know today if the third Wednesday of the month, you can complain to me tomorrow." He licked his lower lip and smiled at her. "You can go now." He flicked his hand towards the door now hanging on its hinges. "And you'll have to fix that, and pay for a new lock please." She scowled at him. "I'm telling Mama." He grabbed her arm as she moved away and moved forward, balancing on the side of his bedframe. "Vicki, you _know _Mama will just laugh at you, spare you're self the trouble and do as you're told."

He let go and she ripped her hand away. Victoria was desperately trying to seem calm but she was obviously hurt, clearly she'd wanted that threat to go down better than it had. "Go." He whispered. She nodded and did as she was told. Octavian watched her with a hateful expression. She had never been a submissive girl. He'd have to watch his back from now on. This was war.

He picked up his phone and texted Aelia. _Loqui mox. Talk soon. _Realising he was never going to get back to sleep he walked over to his waredobe and pulled on some jeans and a tunic that was slightly longer than a normal shirt but much more comfortable. He picked up the photos and walked down the front of his house. Half way someone stepped in front of him and waited, he stopped and raised an eyebrow. "_Quid_?" _What?_ He asked possibly too harshly. The servant shivered and cleared there throat. "_Domina petentibus tuam praesente." _Octavian's face twisted. Why did every time he decided to do something the gods make things so he couldn't possibly do so? He gestured for them to show the way. His mind on Aelia, she'd clearly worked it out, and yesterday had been nice. He shook his head. _Focus! Mother wants something, it has to be bad. _

When he entered the houses central room his eyes came straight to Gwen. She looked intensely nerves but also happy. "Octavian! Look at who I found." His mother was wearing his consular clothes a calculating smile plastered on her face. "This is Gwendolyn, ex-centurion of the Fifth and my apprentice. What do you think?" Octavian was too shocked to speak. He stared at her wondering if this was a dream, or a nightmare.

"She has a good record, and she's so sweet. I'm going to have so much fun dressing her up and teaching her etiquette." Octavian forced himself not to gag. "_Mama…_ _esti sigur ca esti nu au mancat ceva?" _He asked, quickly wondering if she had eaten one of her many concoctions, one could never be certain of their sanity afterwards. Just before she could respond Aelia texted back. He looked at her and she rolled her eyes and nodded, her attention went back to Gwen. _Talk now. _He cursed and his mother looked at him, her eyes wide. Octavian but the phone back into his pocket.

"Everything alright?" She asked, as if she asked it every day, as if she expressed concern for his wellbeing before. He knew better than to contradict her act however. "Fine," She nodded and turned to Gwen. "Octavian and I need to talk, if you want you can head on over to the _alae hortum, _and look around." Gwen's eyes were fixed on Octavian.

_If looks could kill_.

She stood and walked to the adjoining garden room. Her mother watched her with disgust. "_De ce_ _facut ai lăsa un slab fir* place de ea agățat în jurul?" Why did you leave a loose strand like her hanging around? _Octavian shook his head and replayed back in the same language. "She left the army mother, not much I could do about it."

"And the one who replaced her?"

"Off to secure glory for his cohort, but I'm sure you already knew that." He waited but she wanted more. "Why is Gwen your _apprentice? _Apprentice for what?"

"Oh, that. No, no. I just told her that because she wanted to join the senate and I said she needed to be taught a few things before then, the girl is very gullible and the senate thought I was being nice."

"She'll work out that soon enough if you don't teach her things."

"Oh, I'm teaching her things, she's the daughter I never had." Octavian wasn't about to mention that she had a daughter. "When she loves me she can join, but not a moment sooner, I'm telling you this because you're the most likely to tell her that I hate the Fifth cohort with a passion. I'm ordering you not to. By the time I'm done, she'll have forgotten about that cohort and she'll understand that politics has nothing to do with sides. Hmm she's coming back. That girl has no discipline."

Then his mother stopped looking normal and waved Gwen down. "Gwendolyn! You must come here more often; I think I'll teach you here. First of course is the reading," Gwen started to speak but his mother put a finger over her mouth to silence her. "No, no. Has to be done, regretful how it is. Octavian can show you the library. Octavian?" He knew she wanted him to answer in English but he didn't follow her every whim, he picked Latin instead.

"Mother, I have a meeting with someone, it can't wait. If you want her to start right now, just get one of them to do it." He gestured to the two servants at the door, he had no idea what their names were but he didn't really care. His mother shook her head. "For me? It won't take long, just for her to get settled in and with the read list. I'm sure you know which ones are best." Then she whisked away before he could respond. He cringed at the beep of his phone. He was going to die.

He was going to die.

Octavian slowly turned to face Gwen. She was looking most hateful and he gritted his teeth. Best to get this over quickly. "Follow me." He said walking out into the main hall and towards the newest part of the building. Her footsteps were slow and he turned around in frustration. Her face was a mixture of anger and awe and Octavian had a double take, she was staring at…the floor? He glanced down seeing nothing special. "What's wrong?" He asked raising an eyebrow. She looked up stunned, her back straightened like she'd been caught doing something wrong.

"Uh…nothing…I'm just…surprised your mother is so…um, nice?" He nodded accepting her excuse; she was still staring at the floor when they entered the library. She couldn't stifle a gasp and Octavian glared at her, she glared back. He walked her over to a row of books and point at them. "it's all in Latin so if you can't read Latin…I think we have a dictionary somewhere, though it's in Latin as well." She nodded. He glanced at one of the tables. "Did my mother off you food and wine?" She shook her head, Octavian groaned, of course she didn't.

"Would you like some?" She shook her head. He smirked. "Well, that's your first lesson for today, never refuse the offer of the first wine from a host, it's rude." He pointed at the table and chairs. "You can sit there." She pursed her lips and nodded pulling out a book. He turned around and began to walk out of the room when he held the tell tale scream of a Lar. He took a deep breath and walked back to her. She was face to face with the Lar. Octavian shook his head, did his mother do _anything? _"Cassian hush," He ordered harshly. "The girl doesn't know."

"She stepped on it!" the Lar whined. "She stepped on it!"

"Well, it is on the floor, you could have thought about that were you designed the thing." The Lar shook. "But-!"

"Cassian Aragonia Ventius_, _hush." The Lar burst and ran away. Octavian rolled his eyes. "Next time _don't_ step on the mosaics." He turned around then but thought of something. "Oh, and don't touch anything that looks expensive, it probably is, and a Lar will always be watching." He nodded to himself and left without another words, she didn't attempt to stop him.

He was glad to leave the house when he did. Though not for long. He pulled on his shoe and realised he'd have to deal with Aelia…right after he'd brought some breakfast…and spent an hour avoiding her. Yeah….after that.

***correctly translated the words "slab fir" mean "weak thread", but also, "loose strand", so she's calling Gwen "weak" but also like she is something she has to fix… if you understand. **

**Please review thank you. **


	6. A Week In Denial Part 2

**Octavian's Slightly Biased Diary of Events**

**Chapter 5: A Week in Denial **

**Part 2**

Thursday Octavian woke early. Three days till the Feast of Fortuna. He considered his choices, which would be the most efficient? He walked over to his wardrobe and pulled out jeans and a camp shirt. Then he checked to see if his hair looked the same as it always did, yep, no changes there. Great. He walked over to the Victoria's room and pulled out his knife. He moved over to fiddle with it but the door swung open easily. He frowned. Not Victoria, Victoria never left her door unlocked.

He stepped into the room slowly; suspiciously, his eyes went over the usual traps, the ones that had been there for years, the ones that had been there for a few months, even a few weeks. There were no new ones, nothing alarming. He took a half step. Glancing down the room he flinched at her empty bed, like his it was in the corner minding its own business, unlike his it looked like an aurae had ripped through it. Though perhaps it had.

Octavian slammed the door into the wall but there was no resistance. He blinked looking over the room, were the hiding spots could be there was no one. Octavian straightened and stepped into the room, turning around, no one. A grin formed on his face, she was going to regret this.

He found the pile of matches and pulled out everything that he knew she loved, liked or possibly kept just because. He untied the dog after hearing it moan for at least half an hour. Octavian wondered how Victoria had tolerated the thing. He wondered how _he'd _tolerated the thing. The dog yapped at his feet and he kicked it away. When it came back he gutted it like he did the stuff animals. He cleaned the blade and forgot about it.

He piled the stuff against the stone wall and struck a match. He tossed the match and walked away, knowing it would burn. He looked over the room and nodded. He wondered what Victoria would do when she found out. It didn't matter; she'd never dare touch his belongings. She didn't want to die. With that he took what he had come for, a set of keys, made over a dozen years had sat above her bed like a dream catcher for many years. Now Octavian saw the perfect chance to borrow it, permanently.

Octavian collected his things, breakfast, four teddy bears since he hadn't looked for Jason the day before, and if Reyna found out he wasn't taking his job seriously she'd try to have his head. Why did it matter? He wouldn't find the good-for-nothing idiot, even if he wasn't dead, before the Feast of Fortuna. It was sad how everything had turned out. He remembered many hours longing it sink a knife into his back while he wasn't looking. The opportunity had never arisen, and now Jason was gone.

Octavian felt somebody's eyes on him. He turned around. Severus stood at the doorway, a small hopeful smile on his face. Octavian shook his head. "Not today, go find someone to play with, or better yet go to school. Mama while expect you to know these things, soon enough if she doesn't already." Severus scowled. "I need a teacher, they're boring, and all the other kids are too slow."

"I have suggested Mrs Elm." Severus shook his head. "She's old." He said simply coming in and sitting down. "Octavian…ah," He raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"Um…well, could you…um teach me how to…" he said pointing at an giraffe head sticking out of Octavian's bag. Octavian closed his eyes. "Severus come here," Severus hurried over. Octavian slapped him with the flat side of his knife. Severus fell to his knees, then stood knowing better than to show his pain. Two thin lines stretched across his cheek the length of the blade. Octavian lifted up his chin and looked him in the eyes. "Alexander Severus, who many times do I have to tell you that you cannot _learn _how to do what I do, you are _given_ the ability, you weren't given this and therefore you cannot do it. Be thankful a god thought enough of you to even give you something. Now is there anything else."

Severus scowled at him. "Yes actually, Victoria's been resigned to the outpost in Chicago." Octavian straightened. "_Ce?" _ He nodded. "I heard about it just before, from the Lares." Octavian sighed and ruffled Severus hair. "Fine, can you give this to her?" he said pulling out a rusty old key. Severus looked at it and nodded. "I'll get it to her," Octavian nodded and watched the boy run out of the room. Now, to business.

He picked up his bag and left the house. He considered the events. Victoria must have left later last night, after he'd gone to sleep, or perhaps before he had, after _cena_ because she had been there then. Octavian wondered if that meant she was going to pay her part of the Severus's birthday present. Which reminded him of Aelia, it was her birthday today. And he was invited to her surprise party. He ran through the likelihood that she would actually want him there. He'd have to make it up to her today.

At camp Octavian walked straight to the principia. The camp was pretty much deserted as hardly anyone was awake unless they had duties. He pulled out the key and let himself in. He walked over to the bench and remembered his last taste of her wine. He decided to grab some water instead. He looked over the bookshelf wondering what a girl like Reyna would read. Nothing looked very interesting at all. "Pff," He sat down on the couch and sipped his water, slowly.

Then Reyna walked in. Half dressed. He lost the water. He looked away. "Reyna…"

"What the fuck are you doing!?"

"Ah…well. That's a very good question." He said thinking that at least she was wearing bra. "You see…"

"GET OUT!"

"Can't you just walk back through the door?"

"I ALREADY HAVE!" Octavian blinking at her muffled voice, "Well I don't see what the is-"

"GET OUT!"

"I'm out." Octavian said. "You aren't" Octavian smiled at that. "Okay fine. I'll come back in five minutes and we can do this again. Just forget this ever happened?" There was a sound from behind the door. "Alright then," He walked out in a daze. That really didn't go the way he thought it would. Then again…maybe he should have guessed something like that might have happened. An idea dawned on him. She had been in the bath, and she was just walking around like that, did Jason get to see her like that…everyday? He shuttered and slid behind the door. He pulled out his phone and watched the minutes go by. After five he took a deep breath and opened the door.

She was all suited up. Ready for war. Octavian felt helplessly exposed it didn't matter. "Reyna. I'm not here to talk about you." She nodded. "Your sister," He raised an eyebrow. "Yes, I assigned the post to her. Have you got a problem with that? She seemed to be the best for the job." Octavian noted the words, 'for the job', but didn't ask what the job happened to be. He nodded and sat down opposite her. "Would it be appropriate for me to ask why you didn't consult me?"

"She's almost sixteen; I didn't see why I had to ask her big brother." Octavian glared at her. "She isn't an adult, did you ask her parents when you did this?"

"She requested it."

"Oh so you didn't post her there on your own accord. She _asked _you to do it. Tell me. Did you not think to talk to partner, as centurion, to see if I'm okay with her resigning her position?"

"She hasn't-"

"Have you even read the rule book Reyna? First you send a probatio as the leader of the quest," she started to speak, he held up a finger. "No, no, let me speak. I'm annoyed Reyna, and I know you are as well. Rightly so, she came to you, all I want to know is what she told you." Reyna glared at him.

"She said you were the worst brother in the world." Octavian raised an eyebrow. "That's it? That's all she had to say to convince you? Seriously, I already knew she thought that. Are you telling me she ran away, because of that? Why didn't she do that years ago?"

"Maybe she just didn't like being centurion." Octavian laughed, "Your joking."

"I'm not. I thought you were the one who said being centurion was boring." Reyna smirked at him. Octavian choose not to rise to her bait. He nodded. "Yes, but Victoria is not me. We are different. Now, if you don't order her home I will want the real reason why, because she's my sister and I prefer that this stays between you and me."

"I didn't tell you, she certainly didn't tell you. So I'm assuming somebody other than the three of us already knows. Secrets don't keep well here."

"Reyna, Reyna, Reyna," He said shaking his head. "Do you even understand what the gift of prophecy entails?" She folded her arms. "Yes, Octavian I am quite familiar your _abilities _they have been infinitely helpful, no, who told you?"

"A little birdy told me, alright, it doesn't matter, they aren't important. They won't tell anyone." He dismissed the idea with a gesture. She sighed. "Victoria told me that you tried to kill her." Octavian blinked. _She did what? _He closed his eyes. "This is all a misunderstanding. Victoria is slightly mad, she thinks things happen, and they sort of did, but not really, in the way she recalls them. Reyna, you really don't need intervene in this-"

"I don't need to intervene! Octavian the girl was _crying, _I have never seen her even close to tears before, in fact I'm never seen any legacy older than ten cry before. Something happened, and you did it Octavian, I tried to drown her." Octavian rolled his eyes. "I'm done worse, she has no reason to act like this. What's the real reason?"

"Octavian!" Reyna stood, then shook her head. "I can't believe I'm having this conversation. Are you telling me this isn't the first time? What like trying to kill your sister is supposed to be a weekly occurrence? Because I have a sister and she certainly never thought that killing me was alright." He could see suddenly that he'd said something very wrong. He frowned and considered what he'd said. "I didn't try to kill her; she was never going to die. I mean, if I _really _wanted to kill her she'd be dead. Simple. I don't want to kill her for the exact same reason that your so upset at me. I was just teaching her a lesson." Reyna face palmed.

"You were going so well, until that bit."

"At least you know I'm being honest with you."

"I never know when your being honest with me. Now, I'm not recalling her, if that's all you wanted, leave. I have work to do. Oh, and I need you to send Hadrian over, I want to talk to him." Octavian frowned but nodded. He stood and began to walk out. "Oh, wait. Can you telling Ishani, 'the bird is out'?" Reyna looked at him and started to shake her head. "I promise, I wasn't lying to you. And I'll get Hadrian to come right over." Reyna sighed, "Fine, 'the bird is out', to Ishani. Got it."

Octavian smiled, "Thankyou,"

"Is that a threat?" Reyna said, seaming to just realise what 'the bird is out' meant. Octavian smiled. It was actually nothing of the sort; it was just something he wanted to say to her before making sure she suffered for trying to dispel the rumours about Hazel. He had to be careful because he didn't want more people like Melissa. "Reyna, do you take me for a person who would _threaten _somebody?"

"Yes."

"Well, at least we have an honest relationship." Reyna gave him the look. He sighed. "No! Of course I'm not threatening her. Now you asked me to go, so I am. Anything else?" Reyna shook her head, probably because she didn't want to talk to him anymore. He nodded and left. The camp has all but risen when he joined the massing legionnaires on the street. He waved at a few his mind considering the situation. He sighed and walked over to the third cohorts barracks. He pulled out the ring of keys and inserted them into the 'secret' door.

The wood opened smoothly and he looked around. He looked over the rows of bottles and smiled. His gazed over the clear bottles curiously. He couldn't believe he hadn't stolen the set of keys years ago. He wondered what each of them did. He only knew about one, and that had taken months to find out. He counted exactly, sixteen across on the bottom shelf, one up, the three the other way, the small bottle in the middle moved two inches. He picked up the thin one behind it, only revealed because of the small bottle in front of it.

He slipped it into his pocket and turned around. Looking over the shelves. His flexed his fingers. This represented years of work. Every magical serum in all of the stories, and then some if his intelligence was correct, it was tempting but he could always come back, after all Victoria wasn't about to demand the set of keys back from him. Octavian left satisfied. He let the door swing close and looked over a nice part of the barracks, it had a few trees and some of the greenest grass passed the gate. He pondered over it, he knew why his cohort's barracks wasn't exactly the nicest place for plants to grow, but that seemed to suggest a lack of training. Or perhaps they reserved his area for no physical exercises, potion making for instance. "Hmm…" He said walking away, hands in his pocket, gripping the small bottle and the set of keys.

He felt powerful, even with such tools that seemed so insignificant.

Octavian marvelled at how easy it had been. He wished everything was so simple, that all the pieces just fell into place without him pushing them into the right direction. He had thought it only happened to people like Jason, beloved by the gods, but it seemed that his luck was starting be look better. He considered whether that this was the lack of Jason like characters in his life, after all he had felt the same way when Jason had first disappeared. Maybe he should juts continue like normal, not expecting gods to think of him as old friends like the _graecus _had. He glared at the large building the American kids called the 'mess hall'.

He walked out of the camp and towards Temple hill. He suspected it was about time he made his daily quest up the hill to look for Jason, the missing idiot. It annoyed him to no end that ever since Jason had left his life seemed to be filled with the guy even more than it had been before. In some ways he almost wished Jason would come back, just so he didn't have to dedicate a dozen push dolls every week just for the guy. It had been months, things like that run up a large bill, one Reyna knew the legion had no money to pay, which meant – like a lot of things – Octavian had to pay for them, he had to move around the taxes, he had to do this for a guy who he never liked.

As he passed the lingering fauns, one look from him and they scattered. A lot of people complained about them bothering them, the solution to Octavian had been so obvious he still gawked at them. He'd just pulled a sword on one of them and stabbed them a few times, problem solved no, 'go away' every time you came to ask a god to do something for you. It was ridiculous, though he'd never actually revealed that to anyone after he'd told Hadrian. Hadrian hadn't been as emotionally controlled when he was eleven and the concept of Octavian repeating the activity to get rid of him had caused a flash of fear and imagined pain in his eyes.

He touched the hilt of his knife and he felt a sudden movement away from him. He smiled, _still got it. _Octavian climbed the steps of Jupiter's temple. He sighed when he saw the statue of Jupiter, _it's doesn't look like that…_He pondered over what Jackson had said. He shrugged what did it matter if they were off? He'd never seen a marble statue that looked like the person it was recreating, at least without making them cold and regal looking. He set down his bag and pulled out a stuffed bear.

He stood in front of the altar and began. He words slipped from his lips like they were being pulled from out of his throat and ripped away. He cut the teddy and watched as the remains fell to the floor. He hardly even glanced at the stuffing, he embraced the sudden storm waging around him. Lightning filled the air. He threw the rest away the bear and pulled out a koala. He considered Jason's auguries, _lost, Venus, fire, death, Juno, ship. _It seemed pretty normal stuff. He'd been getting that sort of symbols for at least two months. There was one thing though that could have either been, _Jason is coming _or _death is running _or maybe _the pegasusi are dust _or perhaps…no he was reading too much into it, too much study of a augury and things began to change in one's mind. He brushed away the fluff and asked the gods about his sister.

Nothing.

He stared at it looking, looking. "I understand." He whispered feeling like he was violating some sort of perfect silence. He held up the last toy he planned to sacrifice today. He cut it straight down the middle, opening the entire thing. He had filled his mind with nothing. Then he looked down at it. _Alaska is cold. _He stared at the remains feeling – in the words of his youngest brother – completely trolled. There were other things; _when ships fly, a jar for death, the guild is born…_the caught his eye. He picked up his notebook and began to sketch the small section. _The guild, who is the guild?_ The stared at the page writing down his interpretation, they might be important! He suddenly wished he had the sibylline books, he tore the page from the book, no, his luck wasn't going his way at all.

On another page he wrote down the rest and just stood there muttering the occasional word so that the clouds would continue to swirl. Then he heard something and he turned around, the clouds withered away. Hadrian stood like a statue at the door. Despite the blank look her had Octavian could tell something was wrong. Octavian waited for Hadrian to speak, but speaking had never been one of his skills - least it had not been so for many years, the boy had once been like Severus, once - they stood in silence for a long time. "What is it, brother?" Octavian asked slowly, a look more of concern on his face than frustration.

"Where is Vicky?" Octavian's jaw clenched, he should have guessed that. Octavian shook his head. "She's gone. And I doubt she's coming back." Hadrian frowned slightly, like he was sad. Octavian walked over to him. "Hadrian, you knew I was going to happen, she wasn't strong like you and me, she was weak, she didn't know what to do, and now she has made her choice. If you go to see her, you make you're choice as well." Hadrian nodded slightly. "She's in Chicago," Octavian said noticing that his brother had grown recently, Octavian had liked being taller than him, it had only been like that for three years and then he was back to looking up, if only slightly. He didn't like that, he didn't like that some people that that Hadrian was the eldest, and the said thing was, Hadrian was just going to keep going.

"Chicago?" Hadrian asked, his eyes going over the statue of Jupiter. Octavian nodded. "The Roman fort there," Hadrian gave Octavian a weird look. "She's still in the army then."

"Yes, but she's resigned her position as centurion, neither of our parents would have allowed that. She's there because she doesn't understand the concept of running away." Octavian felt a sudden weight on his shoulders, the implications of his words hanging in the air. Hadrian nodded. "She never did." Octavian forced a smile. "Is that it? Is that all you came for?" Hadrian settled his gaze on Octavian. "Will I be centurion?"

"_Nu, _I like you where you are. The new centurion will come forward with merit, and no bias." Hadrian didn't seem surprised. "Rebecca Hart." Octavian blinked. "I nominate Hart." Octavian's lips twisted, but nodded. "Alright, I'll take that into consideration." Hadrian nodded and turned around. "Hadrian, don't mention Victoria, from now on I think it's safe to say she was never our sister." The boy nodded as he walked down the stairs. Octavian watched him, waiting to see if he showed any remorse or loss. He didn't. Octavian smiled and packed up. Things were - ironically - starting to look up.

He walked to a small area in the city that everyone called the '_vichristianium_', or the Christian's village. It was a small part of the town at the foot of two hills, which meant no house was on the same level. Most of them were insula, but unlike with the rest of the town there weren't levels made for people who had no jobs, the rent was something close to a smattering of uncia a year. Here those people lived in the church which all the houses surrounded.

He sat down at a small bench which was oddly lopsided so anyone sitting at the top would slid down to the bottom rather quickly. He looked across at a small hideaway between two buildings. He pulled out his phone. an hour until team meeting then he had to organise the games for both Aelia's and his cohort, because that was the only thing he had been able to think of to make her talk to him again. Then he had to talk to his mother. And make it back to the camp back in time for daily muster, which he had to be early for because he had to make sure everyone was ready for it. And then it was war games and then…he sighed. Too much to do in one day. Where were the hours?

He glanced up when he heard a sound from up the steps. Two teens were walking slowly along the path; one held a piece of paper, each carried a long metal rod. Octavian gripped his knife. Weapons weren't allowed in the city, but most people managed to find a way around it if they wanted, gods Severus carried a sword _everywhere, _and never got call up for it. The teenagers didn't notice him so focused on their duty. He rose slowly so not to attract their attention then began to climb the steps. He doubted this boy's would remember him when they woke up in three days but he didn't want to take chances. He took too much of a chance with Gwen, but not again.

He knocked the back boy out first, his face hit the stone with a satisfying _thunk_. The girl turned around, she looked to be one of the kids that didn't join the army. She dropped to the ground, uninjured but Octavian held his blade up at them, watching for movement. He pulled out the bottle and dropped several into each of their eyes. He pushed them down the steps with his feet until he reached the alcove. He hauled them in and looked over them. "I wonder if they have anything." He searched them but came up blank aside from some half eaten bread and a folded playing card, jack of diamonds, and of course what he had come for, the paper.

He found the small gate door, moving the things that had been shoved in front of it and covering the two teenagers. Then he closed the door and found the lock, in some ways he had suspected he should have checked to see if one of them would lock the gate, but he hadn't had the time and even if it didn't work they wouldn't becoming too for three days, and when they did they would see things…differently.

Job done and walked down to camp again. Forcing his mind to go over the things he had to say, the things he had to do. "Octavian!" Octavian stopped it was Jiordan's little sister's voice, her name was…Madeline. "Maddy." He said turned around. She smiled at him and held up a piece of paper. "You are invited to an extra special surprise party. And Chris says you have to come. So you got to." She said handing it over. The fact that Christian wanted him to do anything held no sway over Octavian but he nodded and returned her smile. "I'll be there." She nodded and ran off.

"Hmph." Octavian shoved the invitation into his pocket. Like he had the time to go to a party, Aelia would understand. He walked over to a part of the principia reserved for team meetings. There was a commotion around the door. "What's going on?" One of the legionaries from his cohort turned to him. "The bloody Fifths are late!" Octavian nodded with distaste. Why did they Fifth exist other to make all the other cohorts look good?

The crowd parted to let him in. He knock on the door casually and waited. Silence. "Are they in there?" He asked the kid. The boy stood to attention and nodded. "Yes…ah, sir. I saw them go in, and they didn't come out."

"We heard them talking before we thought anything of it, and the door's locked." Another added. Octavian returned his attention to the door and pulled out his set of keys, he considered that one of them might find it odd that he was actually carrying these but they were part of his cohort so he doubted any one had the courage to risk their necks in telling someone they shouldn't. He inserted the right key and the door came open. He shoved the keys back into his pocket.

In the room sat the remains of the authorities of the Fifth cohort. They all looked up to him. Octavian smiled at them enjoying the look on all of their faces. "Centurion Dakota I will inform you that your time is up and that you are making me late." Dakota stood. "Well you see Octavian-"

'The rest of you will report to me tomorrow for you punishment. The Fifth can't be disciplined if their superiors aren't. Now leave me and Dakota are going to have a talk." The others looked around but then stood and left casting sympathic looks at Dakota but leaving him very much alone. Octavian made his team stay out. Hadrian arrived right on time (maybe a minute late but that was okay because he was there when needed) and he called him in. Hadrian closed the door behind him. Octavian gestured for Dakota to sit. "Now Dakota, I wanted to talk to you about your replacement centurion."

"…you mean, Zhang? He's a nice kid, does the work-"

"Not Zhang, Zhang's replacement. You surely aren't going to keep him on the post after the quest is finished are you? Especially since he's not even a female, do you know what the feminists will do to you when they find out? Tear you to shreds." Dakota swallowed loudly and reached for a glass a few seats away. "No," Octavian said softly touching his arm. "Don't do that, it's so un-roman it's disgusting." The fact that Octavian found everything about Dakota disgusting didn't need to be said. "Now, who are you thinking for replacement? Hopingly not a _probatio _again,"

"-I…I didn't pick him, Reyna did."

"For the quest she did. But you see, she didn't mention anything afterwards, are you telling me that's not why your team ran late? Honestly? I could help you out, with the paper work and all that. I don't like being enemies with you." He hardly considered Dakota an enemy, the kid was pathetic, but he knew Dakota considered _him_ an enemy which was fine, but annoying. "Now, how about you select the punishments for you team with over a glass of wine tomorrow? Say, the temple of Bacchus?" Dakota stared at him wide eyed.

"You're…you're not serious?" He squeaked.

"Completely serious, you're well passed sixteen, I don't see why you only are forbidden from drinking wine, it's hardly even an alcohol if done right, and all the other kids who get drunk willy-nilly aren't punished at all." Dakota nodded a bit. _This boy was so easy to fool._ "I think a few things like that should be changed. You are a centurion, you have the right to decide if you have the maturity to drink or not to. Besides Bacchus is your father, you should be fine, and how log his it been since you visited his temple?"

"Well...I, ah, don't really go a lot, you know…the fountains have wine flowing through them?" Octavian nodded, "Mmm, Flaverian too, very, very rare, impossible to grow without the blessing of the god and none would dare steal from the gods, oh well, guess we'll have to settle for normal wine, hmm? You'll join me, right?"

"Ah…yeah, okay Octavian, but aren't we, I dunno, supposed to be preparing for the battle?" Octavian froze and glared at the wood of the table. Dakota clearly could tell he'd said something wrong, but from the tone of his voice he was very, very worried about the impeding attack. "Dakota, I know you feel the same way I do about this camp, but if we, the superiors appear distress, the rest of the camp will fall into complete chaos. Reyna and I are walking everything out today, so you need not worry. Have fun these last few days, if you're cohort's heroes fail then we all die anyway. Any amount of preparation will only prolong the inevitable if they not succeed. You understand that right?"

"You were the one who…" Octavian cast a serious look at Dakota, _drop it. _"Anyway. I have to get going, I…ah, have to….make sure…I'm in your way, late and all. Sorry about that. I…have to leave." Then he was gone. Octavian watched suddenly feeling disturbed. He shook the feeling, he hadn't the time for emotions. He stood and stood in front of the dozen ranking officers in his cohort. "Well, what are you doing, we're late, we have to get to work."

They all hurried to their seats, Octavian looked across the table where Victoria had once sat. He wondered if any of them knew what had happened. News travelled fast in camp; did they know one of them could soon be a centurion? He watched over as they squabbled over duty allocations, the new building project the cohort had been assigned, wargames was popular but after they'd fully dispensed all useful conversations on how to best to crash the other cohorts in gladiator fighting he moved them back to the real conversations.

They finished right on time, with just one thing left to say Octavian stood. They stopped packing up, facing him. "Victoria has resigned from her position of centurion and has taken a role as commander of the ruffians. As a result serious repositioning will occur in the next few weeks, the role will be filled, preferable by one of you, if however you will not to nominate," His gaze went to Victoria's _optio_, that stupid child of Venus. "I ask you put forward a nominee you believe is appropriate. I will however inform you that the new centurion will preferably be a female as a male overrepresentation will be bad for operations. I also don't plan to promote anyone without at least three years in the legion, or with very good references and merit. _Senatus populusque romanus_."

"_Senatus populusque romanus_." They repeated and left one by one. He fell back into his chair pressing his fingers together. Then he checked his phone and stood. No time for breaks. The Feast of Fortuna was in three days. He out of the principia and out of the north gate over to the Field of Mars. He looked over the area, he honestly preferred when they had the weekly battle scenario at least he didn't have to do much for it. Victoria had always handled them…now she was gone. He realised her replacement would have to be someone good at battle situations, especially with the advancing army.

He greeted the team as they came. These were the kids who were the fighters, the warriors, but also the brains. Two cohorts worth so about twenty of them stood ready. "Alright," he said, "Gladiator fights tonight. Aelia and Larry have placed me in control of the Seconds allocation because it's her birthday, and he's lazy." The Seconds laughed at that. Octavian smiled and turned to his team first. "Now I know your strengths, we fight the Fourth first so mostly Regan, Timothy and Mikael. The teams will be slightly different than usual as I fear the Fifth will be very confident in a victory today, we'll prove them wrong. Alan, Trisha, Marcella and Yan, your first squad, Yan your captain, Jonathan you're their support. Graham, Charlie, Rebecca, Laura, your second squad. Graham your captain, Alice you're in support. Got it? Good, captains you discuss orders, I'll come to you later. If you finish before that you can start sparring."

He finished and turned to the Seconds who were all looking a bit overwhelmed. After all they probably hadn't seen a group of teenagers comply completely to orders. Well, they hadn't ever been members of the First, there was a reason they were _first _after all. "Okay, now, your team is fighting the Fifth first. The only notable fighter on their team is Wyatt Leir, I know you normal formations already so I don't need to have a demonstration unless any of you have some niffy new trick that could help your team win." He looked over them and nodded. "Good, I see no reason to change up your groups and Aelia hasn't told me too so, but I do recommend you change your order.

On team one; Lukas, you should go first, you're the best at a fast win, which will likely deflate the moral of the cohort. Peter, second. Sophia, third this time. Leah, you're a good finish, if the teams need a lot of points, if you're close, stay in the game, don't win quickly." The team nodded, they understood that the order was using their skills to the optimum capacity. "Good, second team, you have a support, Riley cover both teams, it's harder but will be worth it, if you do it right, practice today. Damian, first. Aya, second. Anna, third. Laurence, fourth. Alright get to business. I'll be back."

He walked over to his first team, they'd already begin sparring. "Well?" He asked Yan. The boy nodded and looked seriously over to the city. "Is it true about the Fifth being confident?" Octavian sensed the double question. "Confidence is most of the fight. If you believe you will win, you are likely to, the wargames was overconfidence. Ye cannot afford another loss, we are the First, you understand?" Yan looked at him. "Of course Octavian, to the last legion," Octavian gripped Yan's shoulder. "Don't loss, and everything will be alright."

Two hours later the teams were ready. They marched away back to their duties Octavian watched them feeling conflicted, in many ways he wished them both victory. He was centurion of the First but friendships and ties extended beyond that, as so much did. It was only the Fifth Octavian really didn't care for. He began the slow melancholy towards his house. He simply waved as he passed Terminus. He shuddered at not knowing how his mother would react, who knew; maybe she had already found out, maybe Victoria had even told her. It would have been madness, but Victoria hadn't been completely sane in recent years. Trajan had had burns to prove it.

He found his mother at the Forum. This part of it had a path which took a very roundabout route to the Senate house. She was standing over a new addition to the many buildings in the market place. "Octavian, nice to see you as always," She said as he approached, she did not turn to look at him. He stood beside her looking over it as well. "Will it be done by the Feast?" She pursed her lips in thought. "Yes_, cred că va fi." _

"Mama, Victoria has…_plecat." _She looked at him suddenly. "_Ce?" _She gripped his arm and pulled him away deeper into the small, thin park. "What do you mean? Is she dead?" Octavian shook his head. "No, mama, she…has resigned her position as centurion and she has requested to be moved to the Chicagian fort. I don't believe this is a temporary move." His mother was slight for a moment; her eyes went over the Forum through the trees. Slowly a smile came on to her face. "Victoria is no longer a member of the Family. Her actions are clear." She returned her attention onto Octavian the smile fully formed. "This is great news! We must celebrate. You see, you always thought I had too many children, now you understand why; I couldn't have all mine leave, now could I? This is just perfect."

"That's good to know mama, though I find it annoying how she has not fully removed herself from our society, even if Chicago is far away. She is still a member of the army. Perhaps she wished to still be included in our family." She shook her head at him. "Octavian, it doesn't matter what she is doing and what she wants, she is not my daughter, neither is she your sister. No one will say otherwise, understood?" He nodded, "Of course. _Qui de cognatione_."

"Always," Then she pulled him back. "Tell me, what are you going to do with Severus?"

"Sev…well, I'm still deciding, I have another week at least, the structure of the legion might be completely different. I might even place him into the Fifth," He caught her expression. "Of course, once I've achieved all I want I'll have him transferred. I still wish for him to be part of the First cohort."

"If you delay the promotions..."

"I don't want to appear too biased. There are already rumours about be appointing Victoria, and she was fourteen then, he won't be a week off ten. Besides, Zhang recently became a centurion from _probatio_, and the camp isn't happy about it. If Severus became centurion at ten, they'd become positively mutinous. Weren't you the one who told me that to appease the people, the people had to think they were in charge?"

"I did say that, didn't I?" She brought him over to a small café. "I can't, daily muster is in an hour and I want to talk about the impending force marching on our position to Reyna, perhaps I could convince her that we are in crisis enough to call on the veterans." His mother simply said, "Hmm," as she called a waiter over and ordered in quick Latin, then returned to her native tongue to talk to him. "Yes, the idiot Gaius Marius has called a meeting about it for today. He seems to think everything came be solved by throwing a few coins into the masses. Why is he consul again?"

"Because he's the only one who you haven't threatened to kill yet?" Octavian said lightly. It was probably true though, a death threat to Marius wouldn't really do much as he hailed from the only family in New Rome that would rival Octavian's in wealth, power, and heritage. The guy even employed a private force to guard his home, ex-legion, they were good, and expensive. Octavian's father scoffed at the idea of such a gross expense. His mother laughed. "Sit, sit. Hear, have some wine it'll calm you, you look stressed." He understood that the words were less words of concern as they were in telling him that he was showing weakness. He sat down forcing calmness. He picked up the cup and his mother did the same. "To Rome."

"To Rome."

skip

Octavian felt horrible; mostly because he was just on time and he had wanted to be early. Most of his cohort was already outside, the rest following soon after. He changed in the barracks feeling like he always did after talking to his mother, unhappy and ashamed. And she wondered why none of her children freely talked to her. He sighed and left the building coming up aside Reyna, she was standing next to Scipio. "Reyna we need to talk."

"This isn't about yoru sister again, is it?"

"What sister? I don't have a sister." Reyna's lips pursed but she nodded. "I understand. What is it then?"

"Gaia's army."

"Ah…" She said forcing a smile. The campers were all in line now. "Any ideas?"

"Many, none you would approve of." She nodded and mounted her pegasus. Octavian sighed at the empty spot next to him. He would have to do all those mundane things he'd had Victoria do until he got a good replacement, it wasn't a happy thought. He pulled out the role and began to list everyone's name, he didn't wait for a response, he knew they were all here and he also knew that if they didn't know about the power gap before, they did now. He put the role away and turned towards Reyna, glancing over the rest of the cohort. Aelia caught his gaze and gestured to the empty space his her chin. He shrugged like it wasn't important.

"Colours!" Octavian shouted, once everything was in position. The standard-bearers stepped forward. Jacob stepped forward but instead of the depressed look he normally had as he pulled up the empty standard, he had a hint of a smile, above him a piece of paper hung with a roman numeral '3' written on it. _Three days until we have it back right guys?_ Octavian scowled. That kid had some nerve to decorate the legions pole. The legions however view it as something different; they all stood a little straighter, faint smiles on their faces as if bathing in light. Octavian stared at them wishing he was confused. But he wasn't people followed people like Jason and Percy even when they had been gone for months or had only been there for a day. Nobody would ever do something like that for him. As if he's day could go any worse.

The muster was quicker than the day Jackson came because well…nothing much had happened. The campers marched to the mess hall when Reyna dismissed them and she walked over to him. "Walk with me." Octavian did so waiting for her to start. "Have you seen anything about the quest?" Octavian shook his head, "I could look, but my best auguries occur when I'm not looking for anything specific. There are a few things that could be important, but they're confusing," Reyna rolled her eyes; "Look I give you the final pieces okay? It takes weeks to put them together, but we don't have weeks so I plan to tell you now, is that alright with you?" He asked angrily. She had no right to ridicule him.

"Then spill," he clenched his teeth at the very American comment but continued away, pulling out his note pad. "Mostly death, death and more death actually. Though I think death has a jar, if that makes sense in any universe, then again he had a set of doors so why not a jar. Oh, and the guild is born. Might be important don't you think?"

"Who's the guild?"

"Don't know." He frowned. "Have you ever hear of them?" Reyna shook her head. Octavian looked over what he'd written this morning, he really didn't want to tell her, but, the camp was in jeopardy. "Also, Jason is coming home." Reyna's held snapped towards him. Why was it that she cast off most of his reading as unless it had to do with her secret crush? "What? I'm been looking for him, did you think I spent the last six months doing nothing?"

She scowled. "When?"

"I don't know, I didn't get told that." Reyna clearly was thinking something along the lines of, _what use are you then? _But suppressed it. Maybe she was having a bad day too, or maybe she thought to conversations with him in one day was a bad day. "Now, can we talk about what we're going to do if the quest _fails?" _Reyna cast her eyes away her footsteps slowing.

"Octavian, are we all going to die?" Octavian shook his head. "No, Reyna, the camp can always move, we can start again if we're desperate. It's been done before, and it can happen again." He wasn't about to tell her that he wanted to do anything to make sure that didn't happen in his life time. He didn't know anything else other than New Rome. "If we are to fight however, we need a strategy. The camper are worried, they want a plan, something they can follow, something they came put their faith in. And honestly, a suicide mission to Alaska isn't helping team moral."

"I suppose you know more about it than I do." She sighed leaning against the camp wall. "And you know more about organising troops and winning a war. We established that a while ago Reyna, that's why you're the praetor and I'm not." He folded his arms, however true it was he didn't have to like it. "Look Octavian, if Jason is coming back…"

"When will he be back, Reyna? What if he comes back to a pile of ashes? Who cares if he's alive or not at that point? Reyna, I understand you're stressed and you probably wished you were back in the sea of monsters but-"

"But what Octavian? But you think Percy is an enemy and you want to cast him off while he has no chance to defend himself. But you think Jason could come back tomorrow so you want me to promote you now, in this corner of the camp. But an army is coming and you want all the glory of a victory if we succeed, and a person to cast the blame on if we lose."

"But I want to save my home." Reyna stopped mid-tirade. "This is more than just you and me, or even Grace and Jackson, alright? If you just stopped being so stubborn-"

"I'm stubborn? What about you?" Octavian didn't view himself as stubborn, people had told him a was scheming, selfish, and a bit stuck-up but stubborn? Not stubborn, "Look Octavian, I'll organise a war council tomorrow, for now, the camp needs time." Octavian nodded, _she needs time, that's what she means, _he thought. "Time for _cena _I suppose." She nodded and they walked back to mess hall in a cold silence.

**Please review thank you. **


	7. Battle For Camp Jupiter Part 1

**FOR CURRENT READERS: Hello, I'm Fate's Second Apprentice and I'd like to tell you that a serious plot change has occurred, if there are inconstancies that is why, other than this, you don't have to re-read the last chapter (which is the only one that has been changed). **

**Octavian's Slightly Biased Diary of Events**

**Chapter 7: Battle for Camp Jupiter Part 1**

Octavian sat on the dew drop grass a sense of melancholy about him. Each day the Feast had come closer and closer but now it was here. He felt calm somehow, though perhaps it was due to the fact he was already drinking before morning had really woken the rest of the city up. He doubted that was a good thing but he found it harder and harder to care as each day came and went. He gazed out over the Lake. Would he ever see it again? Or would it all change today? He glared at the ground.

The dream he'd had last night was nothing less than haunting. He'd woken up just before midnight and every time he closed his eyes to go back to sleep the images bathed in green would return to him. He'd had dreams like this all the time, he knew the deal, but none of them had been like this. This had felt real, he wasn't just watching, he was there. Octavian had watched as the monsters had charged and destroyed the army. He'd see the giant kill and kill. He'd walked through the massacre, assuming he couldn't be touched. He came across Reyna's fallen body, covered in blood and dirt. She had spoken but it had not been her voice, and she suddenly stopped looking like Reyna altogether.

"_Septem dimidium-sanguines ejus respondet, Tendere, igni, pereat mundus. Denique ut cum iuramento spiritus, Ad portas hostium arma Mortis…" _Terra had said, but it was as though the ground spoke instead of her. _"Tomorrow you all will die and the gods' plans will never complete." _Octavian turned around to find a giant shadow over him. _"Fall to my son."_, and then a spear had impaled him and he'd died in his own dream.

He's woke then and when he fallen back to sleep the dream had been different, as if the future was changing, which hardly ever happened, history didn't change and neither did the future. Octavian had opened his eyes in his dream – even though he still felt like he was dead – and he'd found the army alive. They lifted up three shadows to the sky and shouted out. He watched unable to move, unable to talk. No one seemed to be able to see him. And suddenly all three looked right at him, but there were no longer three, there were Seven. Jason was among them his face twisted into a smirk. "So, you're still here?"

Octavian had not gotten back to sleep again.

He sighed throwing a stone into the water before standing and walking out into the main garden, only to run into Gwendolyn. "-ah, sorry. Oh, it's you, what are you-oh, right." Her face dropped what she saw him.

"My house if you wanted to know. Why are you still here, shouldn't you be at home." Gwen scowled at him. "I- your mother offered me a room while I sorted myself out financially." Octavian raised an eyebrow, "Well, that's was awfully nice of her." His mother sounded like more and more like a charitable person; maybe his 'new daughter' thing was more serious than he had first thought. Maybe he needed to get rid of her, again. He glanced down at the book in her hand. "So you worked out to read Latin yet?"

"I knew how to read Latin in the first place." She glared at him.

"Now, now, is that how you talk to people that are offering charity? Hmm? Beggars can't be choosers Gwendolyn." Her eye twitched. "I am no beggar, and you have nothing to do with my apprenticeship,-"

"You realise I could say a word and you'd be gone right? And a position on the Upper senate? Forget it." Gwen scoffed, "What, you don't believe me? When Jason comes back, ask him. Though, he's not that sort of person so I doesn't really affect him, but you, what will you do _Gwen_?" Her nose wrinkled in distaste, "You are –" she stopped suddenly and glanced around, "Just don't talk to me." She said rudely and walked passed him, she walked down the path toward the extra building off the main house for people like her, as his father would put it nicely, _plebeians. _

He glared at her back and shook his head, more annoyed than angry. She had so much confidence, even when she stood surrounded by enemies, she didn't even understand, that was the sad part, she actually trusted the woman that gave birth to him. "What did she want?"

"Hey Severus," Octavian said looking down. He had his head to the side and was looking very concerned. "She's nothing for you to worry about. What are you doing here?" Octavian said, Severus looked down, "No reason." Octavian raised an eyebrow, _like I'm going to believe that, you don't want to wait until you get your birthday present._ "Oh, good. I'm going to be out today so make sure _Pater_ doesn't start calling for war." Severus scowled at the ground but nodded. "Go on, run away."

"Mama said…said she was going to be important. She said I was going to have a sister. She said something about…marriage." Octavian choked. "Ah…what?" Severus giggled. "Not you, _frater_, she said she was thinking to getting Gwen with Cyrus, and then our families would be allies, or something like that. But I thought we hated the Diesias."

"We do, but I think _Mater_'s got a point, a front of an alliance will turn a few of his supporters over to her side." Severus smiled. Octavian raised an eyebrow.

"Shh, remember you have to call her _sororis _now." Octavian nearly throttled the kid. "That would be lying, now what did I tell you about lying?"

"Lying is bad, and should not be done unless it's important, and things rest upon it, like childrens's innocence. And um…oh, half-truths are totally fine." Octavian shook his head. "No! You are supposed to say you never lie, _tâmpit!" _

"But that would be lying…" He said his frown deepened. Octavian sighed and rolled his eyes, "Exactly." Severus looked at him not looking very impressed, he wasn't allowed to look like that. Octavian unconsciously raised his chin and looked down on his brother. "Now, now. Are you going to start questioning me? I hope you know that Victoria once questioned me, and look at where she is now." Severus smiled.

"What are you taking about, _major frater? _You told me you were always right, why would anyone think otherwise?" Octavian shook his head wistfully, and ruffled his brother's hair (no one else was allowed to do this). "Happy Birthday Severus," He walked away, noticing Severus follow him, after picking a flower and killing the bee that had been on it.

Octavian sighed. "Come over here would you?" Severus nodded and rushed over, his eyes bright. Octavian poked his forehead hard, "Look, I'm busy, if you have a reason for following me, spit it out." Severus suddenly looked really sad, and Octavian once again felt like he never fully understood any of his siblings emotions, why weren't they all more like Hadrian with his clear cut emotions?

He rolled his eyes, "I suspect you already know where your present is, so I give you permission to go get it. Don't touch anything other than the handle of the door. Got it?" Severus smiled and nodded at least twenty times before running down the hall. Suddenly Octavian felt seriously concerned; nothing good could come from Severus in his room, but the army was only hours away, which meant no time to guard his room.

"Okay, first things first," he glanced back down the hall but shook his head. Whatever happened in there would be classified as 'Severus's fault' and Octavian knew the boy would know that, therefore he probably wouldn't do anything, unless…Octavian closed his eyes, no, if he kept going like that he'd be there all day pondering. He ate breakfast, had a bath, collected everything he needed and walked over to his mother's office.

She smiled as he reached her, but really it was as fake as the ones she gave Gwen. She was very good a fake smiles though, once he'd believed they had been true. "Octavian, baby, how are you?" She stood, across the table was a map of the city, a bit further away a map of the world. "_Bine, _Mama, how do the plans go?"

"Oh, they're all going well. I wish your father was more helpful though, honestly. He's calling for all the veterans to join the army again. Now what would happen if the senate approves that? Our society will become unstructured. But he doesn't care, always for the glory, your father, always for the glory."

"A little birdy told me why you really selected Gwendolyn as your apprentice." His mother smiled again, this time however it was half-true. "Octavian, honestly, 'little birdy', I know who told you. Why do you think I told him?" She sighed and leant against the table. "Have you come here to approve?" Octavian shook his head.

"I came here to question it, why her?"

"Gwendolyn…is a good choice, she was centurion, even if it was of the Fifth, as my apprentice her rank socially has gone up a lot. She is almost part of _extensa familia. _You understood why we need this right?" Octavian nodded, though he suspected her plans reached further than he knew. "For one, Severus is good friends with the girl." Octavian forced her face to remain blank, who the hell was the girl? "Also, with the likely hood of the _graecus _camp being rediscovered soon, and naturally the war that follows after would, I'd like to have the senate on one side. If Marius agrees of course," _Rediscovered? _He thought, he knew she knew she was only giving him half the information. Leaving him worse off than he had been before, but this was just a game, and Octavian was good at games.

"Is there a third reason?" His mother smile, "There is always another reason, even if one doesn't know it themselves." She touched his arm. "You should go, the army should be here soon, and you have had little sleep and too much wine." Octavian glanced away, looking for a mirror, was it that obvious? And he felt sober enough for it not to reflect. He nodded. "Good bye, Mama, and good luck." She smiled.

"_Fortunatos, _to you too." He walked away, feeling her eyes on him. Who was the girl? Did his mother know of another camp – a _graecus _camp – if so why had she not said anything before then? Why was he in the dark about everything? He found Hadrian in the area of the house reserved for training, most of it was outside but it was blocked from view from most people, it wasn't a nice place after the rest of the house. Hadrian had just started ripping target to shreds.

"Hadrian, do you know if Severus has a friend, who's a girl?" Hadrian stopped and looked at Octavian, his eyes showing a hint of worry. He nodded slowly. "Who?" Hadrian shook his head, slowly. "Ask Severus." Octavian scowled. "I'm asking you." Hadrian looked at his sword. "Tatiana." Octavian sucked in air and felt suddenly strange. Cyrus's little sister, was friends with…his little brother? Was that allowed? Was that…no, it would not happen. Octavian gestured for Hadrian to continue and went to find Cyrus.

Other things could wait, Severus had lied to him, and about a person Octavian had forbidden him from talking to unless he was insulting her, insults were fine. When it came to that family, insults were always fine. He asked anyone he saw, and found him within minutes. He guy was of average high, he had olive skin, and a permanent scowl on his face. "Oh, look whose coming." Octavian glanced at the three guys that were lounging in the sun. They held wooden swords, sharpened he was sure; those guys could kill if they wanted to. Octavian walked over to Cyrus not showing fear.

"I need to talk to you."

"Oh really?" Cyrus sat looking totally relaxed. "What have you come to offer me to pull out, hmm?"

"Nothing, I want to talk to you about your sister." Cyrus scoffed, leaning forward slightly his body showing his curiosity even if his expression didn't. "She's been fraternising with my youngest brother, I'm requesting you to stop her." Cyrus's eyes narrowed, _he doesn't know. _It seemed that the children had been pulling the wool over both of their eyes.

"And what if it's your stupid sibling fraternising with my sister, hmm?" Octavian smirked.

"If that was the case, why did I know about this first? My brother came to me, in a plea of distress, telling me to get rid of her. Now, I couldn't rightly do that as things are. So I've come to you, you either make her stop, or I will." Cyrus stood suddenly, and realised it was a bad idea, he was at least ten centimetre's shorter than Octavian. "Look you spineless-"

"I have warned you. Good bye. Oh, and I think you should take a trip to the public baths, clearly your own aren't working." Octavian walked passed him, smiling. Cyrus's minions stood as one but Cyrus stopped them from attacking, calling Octavian a few choice words before he was gone. Octavian was satisfied Cyrus would do what he said and he was happy it had gone smoothly, otherwise he'd had to have talked to the idiot for even longer, and talking to him was bad enough. On his way back home he ran into Aelia. "_Salve, _Tavian." _Tavian? What in Hades is a Tavian? Is this an attempt of a nickname? Why me?_ Octavian gave her a flat look.

"It's Octavian, don't try to give me a nickname, I'm not interested." Aelia shook her head and patted his back. "Someday, I will find the prefect name, and you will thank me for my hard work." He doubted it, but refrained from comment. "Are you headed to the Senate house?"

"It's not for another hour."

"I know, do you want to…hang out?" She asked looking around from him. He frowned. "Ah, well, I guess. I actually need to talk to Hart though." Aelia stopped for a second then kept walking. "Oh! Alright." Octavian realised he'd said the wrong thing, which was unusual.

"Actually, Hart can wait. What were you thinking?" Aelia blinked. "I…ah, well. Just you know. Walk?" Octavian raised an eyebrow, this girl wasn't really acting the way she normally did. He was instantly suspicious and glanced around to see if anyone one was standing a few metres away and either laughing or watching them, no one, but that didn't stop him just being on full alert.

They walked slowly through the Forum. "So, what did you want?" He finally asked after minutes of silence. Aelia literally jumped. "Ah! That's a great question. I…well, you see-"

"Octavian! Here I heard I can't believe it. Thank you! Thank you! I'm forever indebted to you!" Rebecca Hart appeared out of nowhere, completely ignoring the glare Aelia was giving her and plunged into a heartfelt speak about leadership. "Excuse me." Aelia said cutting her off, the only word to describe her at that moment was pissed. "What do you think you're doing?" Rebecca blinked and then smirked.

"Well, excuse me, but I'm simply thanking Octavian for my selection as centurion of the First, which, if you didn't know, makes me your superior. So I'd rather you didn't use that tone, Centurion of the _Second._" She said it like being in the Second was like a curse and being a centurion was thinking the curse was a good thing. Octavian forced himself not to laugh; instead he gave Rebecca a quick look and shook his head ever so slightly. The girl instantly stepped away and gave Aelia an apologetic smile, _Some more practice is she'll be a perfect right hand, _he thought happy that most of the nominations had been for Hart, this girl was perfect.

"Sorry, Aelia, I have to talk to Hart, we have important things to discuss before her official promotion. Thank you for inviting me on this nice walk." He tried to keep the sarcasm from his voice, he couldn't help it, her expression was the best. "Sorry." He said was walked away, Rebecca followed, her head high her new position filling her with amorous pride. He smiled to himself, yes, this girl was the right choice.

They walked around the corner. "So, since you already know, I don't have a lot to tell you. I am, however required to instruct you on your duties as a centurion, especially of the First cohort, now I'm sure you know the basics," She nodded vigorously; she was truly a relief after Victoria. "So I'll just tell you about the things, you'll be in charge of. When it comes to giving punishments, I have a list of ones you can give, if anything is too serious, or you think another punishment is more appropriate, than you must consult me. You will be tasked with calling the roll, dealing with things such as bedding arrangements, and minor disputes. If someone from the other cohorts comes to you, you may not assist them in anything in anyway, without my permission. For these first weeks, I plan to show you the ropes, if I am, however, voted as Praetor, you will likely not be head centurion until you have at least won ten wargames in a row. After this, I will entrust the First to you."

She nodded seriously. "Well, we should get to the Senate Meeting, next year you may run for a position as senator, however you make watch the proceedings if you wish later,"

"Oh yeah, Victoria wasn't a senator." She said more curious than disdainful. Octavian nodded and checked the time. There was no need to rush so they walked slowly, he brought a snack and ate it in the way. "Rebecca, what carrier path are you thinking about going down?" Rebecca blinked and grinned. "Oh, I'm going into architecture, but my back up plan is politics." Octavian simply hmmed, then she started to ramble, he wasn't really listening but he made the appropriate noises hoping she'd get the message. By the time he got to their destination he was regretting his question, in fact he was regretting promoting her, he hadn't realised how stupid she was.

He sighed, where had the smart people all gone? They obviously weren't in New Rome that was for sure. "…Octavian, I know you're not listening to me, but I think Reyna is looking at you like she wants to have a serious talk. Are you going to go talk to her?" He glanced at Rebecca, and smiled. "Now why would I do that?" They entered the building and Octavian sent her up to the higher seats, she nodded and he thanked the gods she had the decency enough not to gawk. This Senate House was nothing compared to the originals.

He walked over to the empty chairs and felt like sitting on one just to spite Reyna, but he couldn't that was seem like he already knew he'd won, which of course he had, but that was beside the point. Instead he pulled out the only toy he'd brought, he doubted they would need it though; it was clear from his dream, and all the other signs, that today was the day the army of monsters lead by a son of Gaia was to march on them. No one looked happy when they came into the room. Reyna entered last and walked to the front. She looked over them all, her face a great show of strength which only hinted at weakness.

"Romans, the day has come for us to test our strength, however our ranks have recently been compromised. Today we promote Rebecca Hart to the rank of centurion of the First Cohort, Jiordan Rei is now her optio," A gasp echoed through the room, "Graham Cambridge a captain of 8, Marcus Quetria, captain of eight." A second gasp. "In the Third, Kelly Mark his temporarily recalled her position due to that fact she is suffering from a curse and will not be able to lead the attack; her replacement will be Will Ikeia. All those who are being promoted and…demoted. Please filled to the front thank you."

They stood, Victoria's optio stood in disgust and marched down to Reyna first. "This is uncalled for! It's a conspiracy. Reyna I can't go from a optio to a common soldier. It's unheard of. The next centurion should be me! What have I done wrong?" She asked, not Reyna but Octavian. Octavian simply raised an eyebrow. "It is what you haven't done, Abigail, you've been optio for a year and yet, nothing. It is time for others to get a chance, others…more worthy of rank." They was a general agreeing sounds from the senate and Abigail stared at the floor stunned.

Then suddenly she ran from the room, tears coming down her face. Reyna gave him a look but he shrugged. "These are hard times, Reyna, the legion has no use for officers like her." He said quietly to her. Reyna looked away. "Octavian," she gestured for him to transfer the ranks.

Octavian gave Jiordan an apologetic look, "Don't worry about the badge, everyone will know anyway. News travels so fast here."

"Why weren't you at Aelia's? It was great fun." He shrugged. "I was busy." She moved away and Reyna stepped forward, in her hand Victoria's old badge, she pinned it onto Rebecca Hart's shirt. "Congratulations, Rebecca." Rebecca smiled and hugged Reyna. Octavian rolled his eyes. Once that was over everyone climbed out, Reyna turned to him. "If you think placing her as a centurion is going to make me like you, your mistaken." Octavian scoffed and shook his head.

"Reyna, why should I care what you think of me, today of all days? I have picked the person I thought has the best ability, it was a tough decision you see, as my cohort is filled highly qualified people." Reyna scowled at him, he smirked. "Just so you know, while this impending doom approaches, I am putting our past behind me in hopes that you will lead us to victory. Please don't disappoint."

He walked away, wondering if he'd call him back. She didn't. Somehow, if he sad by that, he scowled and walked faster. The quicker he got away from that girl the better his sanity would be. Hadrian came to side. "Are you scared?" Hadrian asked, Octavian laughed. "Have I ever been scared?" Hadrian shook his head. "Never has an army marched."

"True, are you scared?"

"No." Octavian raised his eyebrow as if his point was proven. "And if I was scared then I wouldn't be the eldest, would I? No, you're going to have to do better than this." Hadrian nodded.

"The demi-gods say Death is freed." Octavian nodded. "The mission was a success."

"Only if they survive to bring back the eagle, I doubt it." _But it might be our only hope. _Octavian kept walking. Hadrian followed, he understood what wasn't said. He always understood what wasn't said, and what was said. Octavian pushed the thought away, as long as he could use his brother, it didn't matter what he could do. "Is everyone ready?" Hadrian nodded.

"Good." He said then, "Now we wait."

**Please review thank you.**

**Please read rant:**

** I've just finished reading HoH and frankly I'm a bit disappointed. There are a lot of inconsistencies in the book and I felt the ending was rushed. One of the biggest things that's annoyed me in the book and taken a lot of the pleasure out of it was that I was wondering if some of these things would actually be explained later in the book, they weren't however and now I have to wait another year for Blood of Olympus, which would have been fine if the book met previous standards.  
**

**One of my major issues is the scene where Rachel refers to Octavian as a "Son of Apollo", now if this is because she's ignorant of the existence of legacies and doesn't think he would be one if she wasn't ignorant anyway. Now, as the Oracle you'd hope she'd have known something about this, but if she didn't I accept that, but what really threw me was Octavian just let it slid. So maybe he liked that she thought he was a demi-god, and some how he took that as a compliment, but I think he should have at least corrected her in saying something like, "Well _actually _I'm a legacy," or something along this lines. **

**What annoys me still is that the wiki is now taking a half-way approach to this in saying that he is a son of Apollo on some pages, but a legacy on others. Now as we all know, in previous books it has been clear that Octavian's family has been in New Rome for a _long _time. Now, I won't go into that idea that a god would of had to come see Octavian mother, while she was living in the camp, probably multiple times, for that match to even happen. And if his mother was a legacy and his father was a god, this logically makes him more than a half-blood, meaning he'd probably be pretty powerful and have lots of gifts. But he only has one. Now either the world is shitting on this guy or Riordan needs to clear this up**

**If any of you read this. Thank you. **


	8. Battle For Camp Jupiter Part 2

**Octavian's Slightly Biased Diary of Events**

**Chapter 8: **

**Battle for Camp Jupiter Part 2**

At the front of the army was the giant, child of Terra and Tartarus, Polybotes. The legion formed up around Reyna. On single stand. In the city the veterans held what weapons they could find; almost none of them would be effective, it was a shame of the army, and on New Rome. Reyna rode forward, her face dark. _"Forma ordinibus!" _They all stood sharper, Octavian watched trying to decide the best solution. They were outnumbered five to one at best….and if the rumours weren't true, if Death was still chained. It would be much worse.

"_Parati pila legionis!" _Everyone held up their spears. "_Remissionis pila legionis!" _The sky turned dark as two hundred spears flew through the air in a perfect arch. The people at the back throwing further in trained precision. In a larger army, they would have moved a second or third team forward and they would have thrown as well, causing a continuous rain on death on the enemy. However the legion was pathetically small.

The front of the army fell, only to be replaced by more monsters. "_Latera progressus!"_ Octavian moved forward, mentally grumbling about taking orders from her before he knew for sure if she was doing the wrong thing. Yet there could be no confusion in the chain of command. Reyna was praetor, she was leader, he had to respect that for now. He had to live, however, so that when this was all over he would be able to lead Rome into victory, or at least away from any threat. No giant's killing him this time. He'd make sure of it, after all dreams weren't set in stone.

Now if anyone accused Octavian of being cowardly he'd have many things to say about it. He was in the front as his cohort moved across the open. They had considered building a major fortification, but then the city would be in danger, and forts were easily adaptable, even for them. Arrows rained down from towers but that was it for structured defence, no matter how much Octavian preferred a fort instead of straight combat. In his option they'd lost the advantage. So if anyone accused him of being a coward he would say this; "I know my abilities and armed combat isn't one of them," or "I was leading from the back, everyone's turn comes eventually, I didn't need to run into the fray and die first off." Or his favourite, "And you're so smart to let your leader fall, so that later the army is confused, please. I'm the genius here."

So yes, he stayed behind and commanded the units from behind, unlike Reyna who was running into battle screaming like a lunatic. Attacking – naturally – the very large giant. He rolled his eyes. She'd die for sure and somehow that made him feel worse not better, he'd never fixed their friendship, not that it had ever been very close to a friendship, but at least she hadn't hated him. He hoped Severus was okay, he was the only one who wasn't out there fighting, Octavian looked at Hadrian on the far flank, his large finger towered over the others because he was mounted while the rest were on foot. He carried three swords and several daggers, not that it made him any safer. "Rebecca, it's time you proved your worth as a centurion."

She nodded. "Legionaries, change!" As one the front line moved to the back. She marched forward calling orders, stabbing a dozen monsters that had reformed. Octavian watched the reforming shapes with distaste. "Charlie, take a team and tell them to spread the dust, any monster you can get, make sure it cannot reform." Charlie nodded and hurried over to the line of reserves who weren't likely to fight for another hour. That was, if everything went right.

His dream flashed through his mind. The paths were could go too ways and as far as he could tell one was only slightly better than the other, he might live in one but Jason would return and Jackson would be a hero. As he watched Reyna charge the giant with her pegasus. He knew he'd never do such a thing, it was illogical, the odds were so once sided it wasn't funny, and then he fully and consciously realised he'd never be a hero. He'd known, somewhere in the back of his mind for years that it was true, but never had the facts been so blatantly shoved into his face. He'd never be like the people he'd grown up hearing about, at some point aspiring too. The realisation made him pause.

If he'd been leading from the front he would have embarrassed himself beyond repair but as a fact no one was looking at him and by the time Hart called for change he had recovered and was pushing the centre. The First advanced quicker than the others and he used the advantage to move them, retreating slightly up the hill. He waited there, ignoring the stares he was receiving, despite all their merits the First cohort was mostly comprised of idiots, it would take forever to explain to them the complexities of waiting. He hadn't even bothered to do so with Hart before the battle for that same reason. Another thing Octavian would never be, a teacher.

"First Cohort; charge, four times pace," The horns blow the order and the other officers lead the charge without hesitation. He watched from the top of the hill. His cohort smashed the wave of monsters attacking the Third cohort. "Cohort fall back." The horns blow again and slowly the cohort moved back up the hill, in their place the third rushed forward. When they came back he had Charlie's team spread out to the area.

By now most of the lines had been destroyed, order was on the brink of chaos. But that was too be expected, the enemy just kept coming. The legionaries were tiring, mentally and physically. He'd considered this in the plans, but still, it was hard to imagine just how fast they would fall. He rode over to Rebecca. "What are our numbers here?"

She looked up, her face was covered in mud and her red uniform was a darker shade than before. He dismounted surveying the children. They were just that, children, how could they be expected to do this? He imagined they were thinking at this point, yet they had been all gung-ho about joining the army when they did. Children never did understand the brutality was war. "Hart?"

"In a whole? Two teams down, most are injured, no one's dead yet." The line moved back a step. He drew his sword just in case, though it had been years since he'd used it in anything by blocking Severus's blows, and those were easy. However he felt that the line could break at any moment, the seconds it took to pull his sword could mean his death. He nodded to her. "Divide the cohort, sixteen with you, twenty-four with me. We open up a gap and draw them back to the towers; hopefully the archer's haven't run out yet." Hart frowned.

"But what if they have?" He shrugged.

"Then more will get injured. Nothing for it," She nodded. "Take Yan and Graham's." She nodded and hurried away as fast as she could, shouting orders over the constant clash of swords. Octavian looked over the group. "Marcus, Anna, Katherine your teams with me!" He mounted and rode over towards his brother. The teams formed up and moved quickly behind him. Hadrian inclined his head in question.

"Tactical retreat, we can't hold this position for long. And the sun is setting, which means we'll need light soon enough. Something we won't get out here." Hadrian looked around, nodded at the others. "Of them? If they fall, it's because their commanders are lost in real combat, or because Reyna is useless. I see no reason why we should save them, after all, if Reyna dies, and her cohort I am likely to win the elections." Hadrian looked away, his gaze falling on the First.

"We go then."

"Yes," they lead the three teams around the battle, only a few monsters lead the charge to attack them. The rest focused on swarming the overwhelmed legion. He rode up to the wall. There Rebecca had already began ordering a fully defensive position, a front line of soldiers battle against monsters – while they were rained down with arrows – behind that row a wall was quickly made. Octavian sent a messenger with orders that the water cannons should be fired without water at the dust pools. "How many arrows do you think they have left?" He asked Hadrian.

Hadrian looked over the battle field. "Less than a hundred."

"Not enough then, we wait for them to run out. Then we launch a pincer attack. You can lead them, make sure you kill as many as you can." Hadrian nodded and rode away. Octavian looked over to the city. The lines hadn't broken yet so he doubted everyone had left, but still…it would be annoying if they had to rebuild, though he doubted it'd be from scratch, his parents were too greedy for that.

He watched as the lines circled and the arrows ran thin. Across the field the centurions were ordering retreats. They were losing that was clear, the monsters were dying and the reforming was taking longer, but the monsters were still coming back, or at least reinforcements on their side greatly outnumbered the legions. He clenched his teeth, so the suicide mission failed. He couldn't believe he'd actually hoped it would succeed, hoping was stupid, knowing and planning was the only way to get things done. And it was clear the quest had had no plan, and the heroes had suffered for it.

It didn't matter all that was important now was holding on for as long as possible. If they fell, so did New Rome. The fourth cohort's barracks was burned. It blow up in a giant gust of smoke and sound. The sudden shock sent the legionaries reeling, and it cost. Dozens went down. Octavian watched as Reyna circled the giant, distracting it, so focused on her task he doubted she had heard the explosion. He had to respect her for that; most people would be dead by now. Octavian took the reins and charged around the line.

"Form up, circle into one group." He ordered the stray soldiers, cutting down a few monsters in his way. The sword felt awkward in his hand after so many years of not using it, but the feeling soon can back. It was true Octavian had never been the best at playing with swords, in fact you would have had to force him to pick one up until he was eight, and even then the only person he trained with was Hadrian, and only because losing to your younger brother just wasn't an acceptable option.

The legion formed a circle around him, and the first cohort smashed most of the monsters right wing. There was a quick cheer but soon it was gone, smothered up by yet another wave of monsters. _We can win this, _he thought, processing any available option in his head, _We have to win this. Come on, optimism, Octavian, optimism. _Just then Octavian caught sight of a hell hound, a Cyclopes, a harpy and three demi-gods. They charged into and suddenly Octavian realised, both happy and hateful, that Percy Jackson had succeeded. The quest was over and hear he was, the hero, here to save the day.

**Here we are, done, done, done! That was a lot of work, I have to say. Next chapter; A series of bad days! **

**Please review thank you. **


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